Following The Darquesse
by Kayli2509
Summary: Post Death Bringer. The Sanctuary find out about Valkyrie and want to arrest her. After a warning from Skulduggery Valkyrie goes on the run. Seven years later shes back but who has she turned into?
1. Prologue

**Skulduggery Pleasant ****Following the Darquesse.**

**Prologue**

Valkyrie was laid on her bed, the light was out and there was a soft glow from the moon coming in through the window. She was so tired, her whole body just wanted to sink into her warm, comfortable bed and fall into a never ending sleep.

A loud buzz awoke her as she drifted. It came from her bedside cabinet and in the dark she could see her phone was ringing. She slowly crawled over and put the phone to her ear, her eyes still closed.

"Hello."

"Valkyrie!" Skulduggery shouted down the phone. Valkyrie shot up in bed.

"Skulduggery? What's wrong?" She spluttered. She had never heard Skulduggery so urgent. He sounded almost, scared.

"They know about you Valkyrie. I tried to reason with them. They are coming to arrest you."

Valkyrie's body went cold. _They Know. They know who I am and what I will inevitably do. _Valkyrie could feel the panic building up inside her.

"What do I do?" She whispered.

"Valkyrie I am on my way to you now. I can fix this. Everything will be okay."

In that moment she knew he was lying. Lying to make her feel better, to make her believe he could sort everything out and she knew he would try. But it may cost him his life and the lives of her friends. She couldn't let them do that. She just couldn't.

"Okay."

"Just stay there. I'll be there as soon as I can." She could hear the Bentley's engine revving in the background. Skulduggery must have been at the sanctuary so it would take him at least twenty minutes to get to her. That was enough.

"Valkyrie," he whispered. "I am so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I thought they would understand."

"It's okay really. Just hurry."

"I will."

Valkyrie put down the phone went to the mirror and touched it. As her reflection stepped out she pulled out a piece of paper from her desk and started scribbling something down. The reflection just stared at Valkyrie's back awaiting her instructions.

"Listen," Valkyrie said as she folded up the piece of paper and put it on her pillow. "I have to leave; I can't explain it but what I need you to do is give Mum and Dad their daughter back."

The reflection looked confused. Valkyrie groaned in frustration.

"Be the daughter I never was. Do anything and everything in your power to make them happy. Make my sister happy, be the best big sister ever."

The reflection started to nod as she began to understand what Valkyrie was saying to her.

"Keep them safe. Let nothing magical affect them, or harm them, don't even let them find out about it. And if someday Alice figures it out, protect her. Till the day you die. Do you understand?" Valkyrie's heart was breaking as she spoke the words. She had to keep it together; the reflection had to understand perfectly what her job was now.

"You want me to take over your life so you are free to leave." The reflection responded.

"You make it sound like I have a choice." Valkyrie grumbled as she grabbed a bag from under her bed and started filling it with her clothes, books, money and anything else she thought she might need.

"Don't you." Valkyrie grew angry. This imposter was unsettling enough because it looked like her but now it was trying to twist her mind and confuse her.

"You know what; you can stop trying to sound all philosophical. You are nothing but an imprint of me and that gives you no right to comment on what I am doing. Just do as you are told and I'll be the one to save the world."

And with that Valkyrie leaped from her windowsill and disappeared into the night.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Seven years later.

The air was cold and still. Everything felt calm as the Bentley sped its way down the quiet and winding roads. Strokes of lightning could be seen far in the distance and it would light up the light for a few moments. Rain was pelting the roof of the Bentley and the window-screen wipers were whizzing back and forth wiping the rain away. Skulduggery could feel something different in the air. He could sense something he couldn't before. A wave of the familiar.

"So, how much longer?"

Skulduggery laughed at the lack of patience his partner had. She could be naïve at times, and a little reckless.

"You know if you want to be a good detective you will have to realize that sometimes things take time and the only thing to do is wait them out."

"I know, I know, it's just we've been driving for like four hours," said Suzuki. She pressed a button on the door accidentally with her elbow and the window came down allowing a refreshing gust of cold air to flow into the car as well as a face full of icy-cold rain.

Skulduggery laughed as Suzuki squealed and scrambled to make the window go up again. She finally managed and had to wipe her face with her sleeve until Skulduggery offered her a handkerchief from his inside pocket. Suzuki snatched it from his hand as she sulked in her seat.

"And since when did Bentleys as _old_ as this have electric windows?" She asked with a sly smile.

"She may be old but she comes with the most high-tech gadgets for my convenience and comfort. Also they don't call it a secluded training center for nothing. I'm surprised I managed to get this far in four hours, especially with you distracting me."

They both laughed together. As they did so the forest they had been driving through began to thin and the moon's glow lit up the mansion on the horizon.

"Not long now." Skulduggery stated.

They finally arrived, Skulduggery parked the Bentley in the open plan garage and they both hurried towards the wooden front doors. Suzuki pulled her jacket over her head and scowled at Skulduggery. She was getting pelted by the rain yet it was all magically missing Skulduggery. She hadn't learnt how to manipulate water yet and Skulduggery refused to do it for her.

The mansion was covered in ivy and moss. The windows were small and narrow almost like eyes overseeing the creepy surroundings. No lights were on inside and it was getting dark rapidly. The mansion didn't look inviting; it looked like a place someone would go to die. That's why it was chosen, to keep away nosey strays.

"So what's the deal with this training center then?" Suzuki asked.

Suzuki Palmer was Skulduggery's partner. She was sixteen and the Sanctuary had recommended he train her a few years ago and they have been solving crimes ever since. She was an elemental and but her powers weren't that strong yet. She could effectively manipulate air but she wasn't that advanced. She preferred the use of fire and was stubborn in deciding to master one element before she moved onto the next. Her hair was curly and blonde, her eyes dark and sparkling. She had no family so eventually she had moved in with Skulduggery. At first when she suggested it, he was reluctant. No one really spent time at his house anymore apart from him. But eventually he came round to the view that it might be a good idea.

On her first day there Suzuki had chosen her room and when she asked Skulduggery he had said no. He said that room belonged to someone else. As she recalled Suzuki stated that everything was covered in dust, it looked like it hadn't been used in years. Then she realized. That was Valkyrie's room. She quickly chose another room, one further down the hall and half the size and they never spoke of it again.

Suzuki didn't know much about Valkyrie Cain. She knew some things that people at the Sanctuary had told her. She knew Skulduggery met her when she was twelve and that she was quite gifted. Suzuki often felt that Valkyrie's shoes were too hard to fill but her crush on Skulduggery had grown so much she couldn't just give in now. It did pain her to know that Skulduggery still had a photograph of them two in his pocket. She caught him looking at it when he thought he was alone. She tried her best to take his mind off her.

"The training center," Skulduggery replied. "Was an idea Ghastly had a few years ago. It was quite reasonable, to train the younger generations to be able to protect our country if it should ever need protecting. There are currently thirteen being trained as well as Fletcher Renn and Tanith Low supervising. I haven't seen them in a while." Skulduggery looked to be going off in his own world, reminiscing.

"And we are here because the Sanctuary caught rumors that the house maybe attacked?"

"Yes."

"Even though there are only five people in the whole Sanctuary that know where it is?"

"Yes."

"So who do they think is going to attack?"

"I'm not sure." Skulduggery admitted. "I'm hoping it was just a false rumor and that we can go back tonight."

"Was anyone at the house informed that they may be under attack?" Suzuki asked, but before Skulduggery could answer a young, teenage boy was thrown through a window and landed in a bloody mess in front of them. Skulduggery hurried over and checked his pulse. When he started to make his way to the front doors Suzuki knew the boy was dead.

"I guess not." She said as she followed Skulduggery through the doors.

Skulduggery had pulled his Revolver from its holster and was walking slowly into the hall. Whatever had thrown the boy though the window had done enough to make sure he was dead and then disappeared, for the hallway looked abandoned. Their footsteps echoed loudly down the corridors. Suddenly, screams and loud bangs could be heard from the great hall. Skulduggery and Suzuki sped their way towards it and looked on to see a mass of fighting in the center. There was Tanith, Fletcher and only four others fighting against the slaughter. Nine of the trainees stationed here had already been killed and their bodies lay mangled and lifeless on the floor. The mages that they were fighting were all dressed in black, their faces covered with masks and cloth. They all yielded different weapons be it a sword, axe, or dagger.

Skulduggery saw Fletcher on the balcony on the far side of the room. He was being attacked by four mages but teleporting between them all. His powers had grown tremendously and his control of them was better but they were surrounding him. Slashing and thrusting their swords. Fletcher could only punch as his weapon was laying on the ground floor beneath him. Eventually one of the mages got a lucky shot in and hit Fletcher around the head with a heavy sledge hammer. He fell from the balcony and landed on another mage that Tanith was tackling. They all stumbled to the floor and Tanith was trapped underneath the two unconscious men.

Skulduggery ran forward and pulled Tanith from the tangle.

"Hey! Long-time no see." She said as a huge grin spread across her face.

"Not the time for pleasantries Tanith." Skulduggery called as another two mages came up behind her waving swords in the air.

"Well now this is my kind of fight." She said to herself as she pulled her own sword out. It made a nice, crisp sound that was music to Tanith's ears. She plunged into the fight laughing.

Skulduggery was shooting at another wave of mages that had come up through the basement. He had a flame grow in his hand, expanded it into a huge ball of fire and threw it down into the basement to stop anyone still coming up. He heard strained screams and the smell of burnt flesh wafted up the stairs. He slammed the door, locked it and headed back into the great hall.

Fletcher had woken up and nearly tumbled into Skulduggery as he kicked a mage in the face and elbowed the one behind him.

"How come trouble always seems to follow you?" Fletcher shouted as he pushed one mage to Skulduggery and head-butted the other one.

"It's not my fault. I arrived _after _the trouble started so really I'm here to save you," Skulduggery said as he kneed the guy thrown at him in the face and slammed his arm down on the back of his neck.

"Yeah well, thanks for turning up."

"It's no problem Fletcher, you can always rely on me to save you," Skulduggery said with a smile in his voice. He had no face so you could never tell through his non-existent expressions if he was smiling or not, but listening to his voice was like reading an open book.

"I hate it when you are smug," Fletcher said quietly to himself as he ran back into the great hall.

Suzuki, unable to read to air, was thrown into the crystal chandelier hanging thirty feet from the ground. It shattered into thousands of pieces around her and rained down on all those below. She screamed as her back was cut to shreds and she landed painfully on the floor. She lay unaware of what was lurking up behind her.

A short man wearing a black mask on his face ran for Skulduggery with his arms outstretched. Skulduggery saw him flying through the air and snapped his wrist sending the mage over his own head and behind him. Skulduggery turned to watch the mage land and was frozen to the spot when he saw a Cyclopes hovering over Suzuki's still body.

It was about ten feet tall and was covered in brown, ripped and shaggy materials. Its skin was a thick barrier that its muscles protruded from. It had skulls tied to a belt around its waist and one eye. Large and the palest of blues. It held a huge stone club in its hand that looked way too heavy for its arm.

"Everyone stop!" Skulduggery Shouted. "No one move." Everyone in the hall stopped, even the mages that were attacking them.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Tanith whispered to Skulduggery.

The Cyclopes was looking over Suzuki's body with curiosity. He sniffed the air and looked at the group that was staring back at him.

"Keep Calm," Skulduggery said. Everyone was still waiting to see if they could come up with a plan before the Cyclopes went for Suzuki. Out of the blue the Cyclopes brought the bat over its head and let gravity bring it back down.

Suddenly a bloodcurdling cry escaped its mouth as a fist came straight through its chest. No one moved. The Cyclopes slowly fell to the ground in a crumpled mess next to Suzuki. It's blood flowing from the wound in its chest.

One by one they all took a step back as there, behind it, with deep; crimson dripping from her arm was Darquesse.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: I would just like to say thank you to all my readers and reviewers. I really appreciate it and it really does fuel the motivation to do more.**

**I hope you are all enjoying my take on Skulduggery.**

**I am definitely carrying on with this story; I have a lot of ideas for it. It just might take some time so please stick with it. I hope not to disappoint anyone.**

**P.S The title for book 7 sounds amazing!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Skulduggery. :[**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

It seemed like no one spoke for an eternity. Everyone was perplexed, except Darquesse; she had a sly smile on her face.

"Wow. You all look like you've seen a ghost," she said with a low laugh.

"Darquesse." Darquesse's smile grew when she saw Tanith trying to burn holes through her face. She looked at her with a grin. She had hardly seen Tanith look so angry, it made a warm bubbly feeling rise inside of her.

"Yes Tanith it's me, in the flesh. Well, not _entirely_ my own." Darquesse raised her arm so she could inspect the blood dripping from it. She brought her arm to her face, closed her eyes and took in the smell of blood. When she re-opened them everyone was staring at her in disgust.

"That's sick," Tanith scoffed. She saw Darquesse give a casual shrug then walk over to the Cyclopes on the floor. She bent down and looked over his face.

"Oh Samuel, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, weren't you?"

"She almost looks remorseful." Tanith whispered to Skulduggery. He gave a shake of his head as if to say _"not likely."_ Darquesse rose up and put her boot on the Cyclopes' cheek, and pushed it forward so he wasn't staring at her anymore.

Finally Skulduggery spoke. She had been longing to hear his voice for so long it hurt, and when he finally did, she almost felt complete.

"You knew him?" He asked.

"Afraid so. We just worked on a job together a few years ago. Childs play really," replied Darquesse.

"And what about this little beauty?" she asked as she moved closer to Suzuki still motionless on the floor. She bent down and reached out her arm.

"Don't touch her!"

Darquesse looked up to see Skulduggery had stepped forward and that it was _him_ warning her.

"Didn't take long to replace me then? I can see why you would want her working with you." Darquesse looked upon Suzuki again.

"You know nothing." Skulduggery stated. She could hear the anger coming through in his voice yet to everyone else he sounded calm. Darquesse knew him better than anyone and Skulduggery knew that.

"Actually," Darquesse said as she straightened up. "I know an awful lot, that's why I'm here."

"What do you mean?" Tanith slowly approached and stood next to Skulduggery.

"First of all, let's just take care of a few loose ends."

Before anyone had a chance to move, Darquesse had raised her right arm and sent a wave of black darkness right through the heads of all the mages that had attacked them but had stilled due to her appearance. Hearty screams left their mouths and the darkness seemed to sink beneath their skin and turn them black. They crumbled to nothing more than a pile of ash on the floor.

"That's better," Darquesse said as she began rubbing her hands together. "Let's get down to business.

Skulduggery without warning snapped his wrist and sent Darquesse flying back. Of course this was Darquesse and she had no trouble spinning herself to land feet first on the side wall and then stay there.

Darquesse laughed. "I've learnt a few tricks since I've been away. Couldn't help but love this one, you know all about this feeling don't you Tanith?"

Tanith folded her arms over her chest. "Don't compare yourself to me; you just killed loads of people."

"You mean the same people you were trying to kill anyway. I did you a favor."

"The difference is," said Skulduggery "They attacked us; you have nothing to do with this. So why are you here?" Darquesse did a backflip off the wall and landed right in front of Skulduggery. She couldn't believe she was so close.

"I'm here to help you."

"And why exactly would you do that?"

Darquesse looked into his eye sockets. When she saw him she didn't see an empty skeleton, she saw Skulduggery. Her Skulduggery. Before she could answer a window twenty feet up smashed and a black figure flew through and landed gracefully on the floor. Darquesse turned as everyone else tensed up again. Skulduggery had his revolver aimed again, Tanith had her sword in hand and Fletcher had teleported between the trainees and the rest of them.

The black figure looked around slowly and then his stare landed on Darquesse. The look of irritation spread across her face.

"What the _hell_ took you so long?" The black figure strolled up and stopped next to Darquesse.

"My dearest apologies, I was just caught up with a few idiots outside. Smelly fellows really, awful." Darquesse turned to Skulduggery.

"You can lower your gun, he's with me."

"I'll decide that. Do you want to tell me what _that's_ all about? He gestured to the strangers face.

The stranger wore a long, black coat and top hat. His hair was dark and to his shoulders. But the one thing people remember about Clyro Noir is that he's not entirely normal. Under his skin small bullets of pink and blue can be seen passing through his veins. He was like his own nightlight.

"Oh the lights thing?" Darquesse asked. "Yeah he's not human, just a shell infused with magic." She said patting his shoulder in a patronizing way.

"Don't get all high and mighty Darquesse, we have a job to do, can we do it so I can go home." Clyro said.

"Okay here's the deal." She said. "Ever heard of The Acid Battery?"


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you as ever for my reviews, I'm glad you are all enjoying my story.**

**Sorry for the last chapter being so short, I just wanted to get in out there.**

**This one will be longer.**

**Disclaimer: Skulduggery belongs to Derek Landy.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

"The Acid Battery?" Tanith looked confused. "Never heard of them." She folded her arms across her chest.

Tanith's stubbornness made Darquesse laugh. She loved that about her and she did miss her. Tanith wouldn't want anything more to do with her if they knew what she had been doing for the past seven years. None of them would, even Skulduggery.

"Oh Tanith, so stubborn with severe trust issues, I wonder what made you so fragile."

Tanith went to launch herself at Darquesse but before she could, Skulduggery stepped in front of her with his arm out.

"Don't rise to it Tanith. She's just like that Remnant that was inside of you, corrupt and unstable." Darquesse felt Skulduggery's harsh words stab her heart. She literally felt like he had torn it out but on the outside she was still smiling, still taunting.

Darquesse stepped up to Skulduggery again. He still had his arm in front of Tanith to stop her moving. She brought her face close to his as if she was going to kiss him. He didn't move back.

"Fine, I'll behave. As long as you punish me if I don't."

Someone coughed behind her who made Darquesse jump a little; she backed away and scowled at Clyro Noir as he eyed her.

"If you have quite finished, you were going to explain who The Acid Battery are," he said as he too folded his arms and impatiently tapped his foot. "We are very short on time."

Darquesse looked as if she suddenly realised something. She went and stood beside Clyro.

"Skulduggery knows."

Everyone turned to look at Skulduggery. He rubbed some flint off his hat and straightened his tie unnecessarily.

"The Acid Battery is a group of Japanese mages, not to be meddled with." His voice was stern when he spoke. "I would advise Darquesse that you didn't go looking for them."

"No need. They are already in Ireland."

"What?" Tanith looked worried and so did Skulduggery. Fletcher broke away from the four trainees and came to stand on Skulduggery's other side.

"If they are already here," he said, "then what do they want? How do we stop them?"

"Oh Fletcher!" Darquesse clapped her hands. "How nice of you to join the grown up conversation, I'm so proud."

Fletcher's expression turned dark. His fists had tightened at his sides and he was trying very hard to control his shaking.

"Don't speak to me, you evil piece of filth." His voice was low and dangerous. Darquesse was taken aback. She could sense anger curling from him and it made her feel like she was inside him. She never thought him capable of any real, deep emotion.

"Whoa, cool it Fletch. No need to twist your knickers." She knew that winding him up would just make him snap and she needed everyone at their most dangerous. If any of them even hoped to survive what was coming.

"We need to move," said Clyro. "They might already know that attacking this place didn't go to plan. We should be hundreds of miles away before they return." Clyro turned to Skulduggery. "You may not believe anything that we have told you..."

"Which isn't much." Interrupted Skulduggery.

"I'm sorry about that, really I am. But I need you to take an enormous leap of faith in us."

Skulduggery looked like he was torn between leaving Clyro Noir and Darquesse behind and forgetting about them forever or being with her for more time, even if she's not really her and she may end up killing them all. Skulduggery knew he would always choose her.

"All I'll say," Clyro continued, "Is that you _need_ us."

And with that Darquesse and Clyro headed to the front door and left. As they left Suzuki started to move, awakening from her knock out. Fletcher knelt beside her, rubbing her shoulder gently while Skulduggery turned to Tanith.

"What do you think we should do Skulduggery?

Skulduggery was silent for a moment, and then he held his hand out for Suzuki to take hold of.

"Are you okay? You took quite a beating."

"Yeah I'm okay." She still sounded groggy. Tanith gave her a leaf which Suzuki popped into her mouth and held on her tongue. Tanith then pulled out a little pouch of yellow powder and sprinkled it down her back.

"That should heal those cuts nicely." Tanith patted Suzuki on the shoulder. Suzuki started rubbing the back of her head and when she turned around she saw the body of Samuel the Cyclopes, laid on the ground. It made her jump so much she almost tripped over her own feet.

"What the hell is that?" she screeched.

"A Cyclopes, he was going to crush you with a bat, Darquesse returned and killed him and now expects us to let her help us with the Japanese magical mafia." Tanith concluded. A smile grew on her face, she was proud of her cliff notes version of recent events.

"Well you certainly had a party while I was knocked out." Suzuki looked to Skulduggery. "So what are we going to do?"

"Yeah Skulduggery, what are we going to do? Tanith asked.

"I think," he said slowly. "We should see what they have to offer. Come on." With that they all left the building, walls practically falling down around them. One thing was certain; they couldn't use the mansion as a safe house anymore.

As they got outside they saw Darquesse lent against a huge, black Range Rover, Clyro was in the driver's seat. As she saw them approaching she walked forward.

"About time."

"Let's get a few things clear before we agree to anything," Skulduggery stated.

"I'm listening."

"We will take you to a safe house. There you will explain every single detail that you know and if we are satisfied that you have been useful you both can help. If you betray us I personally will put you in the ground."

"You always did have a way with words."

"I still do, as you just heard from my speech."

"Yes. It was a very good speech." Darquesse felt a sharp ping in her heart. She could feel Valkyrie trying to get out, like she was tied to Skulduggery and just hearing his voice was enough to make her fight. Darquesse took a step closer to Skulduggery.

"I won't betray you."

"Good. Then let's leave, we will follow you in the Bentley." Skulduggery suddenly stopped when he heard Darquesse laughing uncontrollably behind him.

"And what exactly is so funny? He asked.

"Listen Skul," she said as she gripped her stomach. "I know you love your Bentley but she is certainly not big enough for everyone. That's why I brought this baby." She slid her hand down the side of the Range Rover.

"Tanith can drive your Bentley and your minions can get in this. I was wondering if you fancied a fly.

Skulduggery looked intrigued. The last time he flew with Darquesse was seven years ago, yet it was still crystal clear in his mind. He had turned into Lord Vile at the time to protect Valkyrie but ended up trying to kill her and Melancholia so Valkyrie turned into Darquesse. He rememberd the moment he switched back. Darquesse was about to destroy a helicopter and that would have left Valkyrie guilt-ridden her entire life.

Skulduggery nodded at Darquesse's request and a beaming smile appeared on her face which tugged at his metaphorical heart strings.

"Follow me." She rose into the air with such grace and then sped away in a blink of an eye. Skulduggery turned to Tanith who nodded. He threw her his car keys and then shot into the air in Darquesse's wake.

Flying over the countryside at night was dull to Darquesse but getting to the city was beautiful. Stars in the sky above, lights littering the ground below, she really did feel like she was in another world. Skulduggery had caught up to her with ease, after all he did learn to fly before her and has had more practise. Although Darquesse bet she could give him a run for his money on speed and power.

They flew side by side in silence until Darquesse turned to look at Skulduggery.

"How's life treating you?" she asked.

Skulduggery turned, he took hold of her hand and led her down to fly over a lake. She let her free hand dangle in the water. It was cold against her skin.

"Strange things lakes." Skulduggery turned to her again. "Ever heard of Lake Marina?" Darquesse asked.

"Lake Marina? It rings a bell, an old myth but I'm not clear or certain of the details. Why do you ask?" He replied. This time Darquesse took his gloved hand and led him down to the banking. The grass was wet and squelched under their feet. The long, green trees hid them from view and made the lake seem more mysterious.

"Lake Marina was the first place in Ireland that mermaids lived. Marina was a heart-broken woman who yearned for the freedom of the sea. She drowned in the lake she loved so much after the love of her life left her and it turned her heart cold." Skulduggery watched Darquesse as she recited her story, listening to her speak made her seem normal. He could tell she related to Marina, was she broken hearted too?

"Hell-bent on revenge she called to her lost lover and the lake brought him before her. She killed him and cemented herself in the frozen state of a mermaid. Over the centuries her lake has had many more women lost to it. It's a feeding ground for the magical and lost."

Darquesse turned to Skulduggery and looked him in the eye.

"The Acid Battery are targeting all the truly, magical locations of this country. No other country has as much power or heritage. It has a lot more to offer then any of you would dream of."

"So it was definitely them who attacked the mansion?"

"Yes. I've heard rumours about who they are taking orders from but none of them are true."

"How do you know?" Skulduggery asked.

"Because I've been following this project for a while now, I know pretty much everything there is to know about it. No man is getting away from my detective skills. You would be proud of some of the things I have found out."

Darquesse felt Skulduggery smile at her through his unchanging skull face.

"So The Acid Battery attacked the mansion and I assume they will be attacking this lake?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To take over the most magically, rich land in the world. Then they would have ultimate power."

Darquesse stayed quiet while she gave Skulduggery chance to think things over. She pulled on his arm and they lifted into the air and flew through the night.

"You're a target too you know."

"I always am," replied Skulduggery. "It was always you and me against the world."

Darquesse felt a tear form in the corner of her eye. She grew angry with herself for letting herself run away with her emotions. She couldn't get attached again but she feared it was already too late. She heated the skin under her eyes to make the tears evaporate while trying not to let on to Skulduggery that something was wrong.

"Your Sanctuary will need warning."

"When do you think it will be attacked?" Darquesse stared at him. She really couldn't do anything about it. She looked on past Skulduggery and pointed her finger. He turned to see a mass of black smoke that almost looked solid. Fire was still crippling the building below. They swooped in and landed next to the Bentley and Range Rover that had arrived seconds before.

Darquesse stood back with Clyro and allowed the rest of them to run inside the building.

"They won't find anyone alive Darquesse."

"I know," she replied. "It was the only way to give them more time."

"If they find out that you could have stopped it they might try and kill you."

"Try yes. Succeed? Ha! Anyway they are the only ones that can stop this and if I told them about the Sanctuary earlier they would probably all be dead."

"No need to sell me on this Darquesse. We know this was the only option."

She didn't reply she just looked on at the building that was slowly falling down. It now looked more like a Roarhaven building than ever. She could smell the burnt flesh coming from inside. The bright, orange fire lit the surrounding area. It looked quite beautiful to her.

_If you push him away from me I will _end_ you._

Darquesse shook her head and tried to ignore the voice. Valkyrie was getting stronger and Darquesse was getting weaker.

_Not long now._


	5. Chapter 4

Hello,

Long time no see.

First off I wanted to say sorry for not updating for more than a _year_! I'm terrible, I know. But I do have some very good reason. The day after my last chapter was posted I found out that mine and my boyfriend's flat had been burgled. Then I couldn't find my notes and thought they had stolen them. Damn thieves! Then I found them again, lost them again, then found them. Then I got a new job, so I didn't have much time to do anything. Then five days before Christmas I got hit by a car and broke my leg :( Then three months of recovery back to work and never stopped. I've been trying to figure out all the details and chapters but haven't really typed much so I thought while I had the chance I would give you chapter four. Hope you enjoy.

P.s. Just saw the back cover of Last Stand Of Dead Men. I swear I can't wait a whole month to get it. I'm reading all the books again to refresh my memory, on Mortal Coil at the moment, and I still have The Maleficent Seven saved unread and waiting for me. Yey!

* * *

><p><strong>Following The Darquesse<strong>

**Chapter Four**

Darquesse and Clyro made their way into the Sanctuary. Rubble was everywhere, black smoke filled the corridors. They heard voices coming from a room buried deep within the building. Darquesse recognised the voice. When they entered the room Skulduggery was holding up Ghastly. He looked badly bruised and he was coughing hard and painfully.

"What the hell happened? He exclaimed.

"The Sanctuary was attacked Ghastly," Skulduggery replied. "We need to get you out of here."

Ghastly nodded which triggered off another coughing fit.

"Where?" he managed.

"I know a place. Ghastly, where are the others? Where are Ravel and Madame Mist?"

"Oh dear, Skulduggery, I never got chance to tell you," Ghastly began coughing up blood. Skulduggery handed him a tissue from his pocket, Tanith put Ghastly's other arm over her shoulder and helped him out of the building with Skulduggery.

As Darquesse watched them all hobble out she turned to the four trainees. One girl and three boys were all that was left. Three looked about fifteen, the last boy a few years younger. Darquesse wondered how these even survived the first attack.

"We need to sweep the rest of the building for survivors. Find any Cleavers that aren't dead" Darquesse stated.

No one replied, Darquesse exhaled loudly to show that these four were the most useless people she had ever met. Well except for Vaurien Scapegrace.

She started walking, Clyro next to her and the rest scurrying after her. She made her way through the rest of the building searching for anyone left alive. She stopped when she saw someone lying on the floor in front of her. The body was layered in black robes. Darquesse knelt beside them and pulled away the thick vale from the face.

"Who is it?" asked Clyro. He was watching Darquesse as the young girl came up behind him to see. She started sobbing at the sight.

"Oh god, oh god, that's… They are coming for us, oh god!" she started panicking.

"It's Madame Mist," Darquesse said as she stood. She went over to the young girl.

"Hey, what's your name?" The girl carried on crying and Darquesse was beginning to show her frustration. She placed her hands on the girl's arms and shook her hard.

"What's your name?" she almost shouted at her. The girl quickly quietened down.

She snivelled before saying, "my name's Blue Dolphin."

Darquesse just stared.

"Sweet."

"What about you guys?" she asked as she turned to the three other boys.

The first boy had short, cropped hair and thick arms. His face was round and his eyes bright green. He spoke in a sarcastic manner, yet Darquesse knew it wouldn't take long for his happy energy to disappear; it always does when you are involved with Skulduggery.

"The names Shining Chopper," he said and held out his hand to Darquesse.

Darquesse looked at his hand then back at him. "Don't hold out your hand to strangers. You may not get it back."

Shining Chopper sheepishly took his hand back and couldn't meet anyone's eyes.

Darquesse turned to the next boy; he was tall with messy brown hair. He wore thin, black glasses which he kept fiddling with. The way he had the last boy under his arm made Darquesse think they were related.

"I'm Gabriel Waters and this is my brother: James."

James only looked around seven or eight years old. He looked so much like his brother, his eyes so innocent and untainted. Not had time to harden yet, to escape the horror he has not yet seen. Darquesse knelt down in front of James, just looking at his face almost made her cry.

"Hi James,"

"Hello," he replied back with a sweet smile. She ruffled his hair and smiled back.

"Are you scared James?" she asked. James shook his head.

"Why not?" she raised her eyebrow.

James looked up at Gabriel, they exchanged a smile but Darquesse could see Gabriel was only staying strong for his brother. He didn't understand what was happening.

"My big brother looks after me. He always has looked after me. It's always been Gabriel and me."

Gabriel pulled James closer to his side and hugged him. Darquesse couldn't take anymore.

She got up and started to walk down the next corridor.

"We should split up."

"I'm not separating from James." Gabriel said almost pushing James behind him.

"Don't worry, Clyro is taking you lot back outside, I'm going to do a search of the building." Before anyone could argue she walked down the last corridor and into the darkness.

Everywhere she looked there were bodies. The building was still full of smoke and fires, she hadn't stepped foot inside this place for years well apart from a few hours earlier, she was surprised she still remembered where to go. As she entered the old library she realised someone was behind her, not because she heard him, more felt his presence.

"There's nothing left," she said.

Skulduggery came further into the room and lent against the far wall.

"We were too late. Now the country is going to go into chaos," he said, his voice low and blank.

"Best way to deal with psychos is to follow no rules. Just kill."

"Well aren't you a little ball of sunshine," Skulduggery's voice was flat and toneless. Darquesse could tell he was tired, not physically but there was a lot to handle from the things he had learnt in the last couple of hours.

"You have some explaining to do," he stated. "We are going to a safe house."

Something in his voice told Darquesse that she wasn't quite welcome. But after all she did come to help; she would do anything he wanted. She walked over to him and stopped inches from his body.

"I'll tell you anything you want to know. Just let me help," she almost pleaded with him, something Skulduggery wasn't expecting. He pushed away from the wall so their bodies almost touched. He didn't have his façade up, something Darquesse liked; he wasn't really Skulduggery if he was wearing someone else's face. She didn't fall in love with an ever changing disguise, just him.

"Let's go," he whispered as he took her hand and led her out of the collapsing building.

"Wait," Darquesse stopped. "The Sanctuary is down, sorcerers are going to panic all over the country and there is no one to clean up the mess."

Skulduggery sighed for a moment. "We will sort out the country once we stop who it trying to destroy it." His tone was dark and final.

Their eyes met once again and Darquesse could see the worry in his eye sockets, sense his pain at what was happening. She could get lost in him and just forget everything, his skeleton bringing comfort to her. He reminded her of the best times of her life. She was pulled out of her daydream and realised that she was practically in Skulduggery's arms, when a noise in the distance caught her attention.

"Did you hear that?" she asked Skulduggery, stopping and listening intently to the environment.

Skulduggery listened too.

"It sounds like a lot of footsteps, coming from the tunnels under the Sanctuary perhaps," Skulduggery pulled out his revolver and aimed at the entrance they had just come through.

"You go. I've got this," Darquesse stated, she could tell Skulduggery was surprised.

"We need to get to a safe house, you lead the way and I'll catch up, just get everyone to safety." Darquesse smiled at Skulduggery as she clicked her fingers and her whole hand set on fire. Skulduggery seemed mesmerised by her and quickly the flames turned black. With her other hand, Darquesse drew the fire up her arm and around to the other, engulfing them both. She smiled again, turned and waited.

Skulduggery ran back to the Bentley and hit the gas, the purple beast following. Both cars sped away from Roarhaven.

"What is she doing?" Tanith asked from the back seat. She had Ghastly laid in the back with her too as she tended to his wounds. He was still out cold, Saskia sat in the front still shaken up and fragile.

"She's taking care of a little pest problem," he replied. He looked in his centre mirror as both Tanith and Saskia looked out the back window, to see Darquesse flying the ten to fifteen masked assassins that stormed out of the building back against the entrance. Black flames caught all of them and their screams were dulled as she threw them back into the building with a wave of her arm. Smaller explosions occurred and eventually there was nothing left or anyone.

The Bentley flew through the country roads, the moon high in the sky and the cloud heavy, just waiting to pour.  
>"Where do you think she is?" Saskia asked Skulduggery a few minutes later. Just as she finished her sentence they heard a low sounding screech, like an aeroplane coming up behind them. The sound got louder something flew through mid-air towards them. Darquesse landed lightly on the roof of the purple beast and slipped in though the sunroof. Saskia felt a wave of envy go through her at Darquesse's ease to do pretty much anything. She couldn't fly and Skulduggery didn't think she was ready yet, she always felt second best to her now. Skulduggery had activated his façade and could only smile at Darquesse. Saskia's jealousy raged, only no one noticed.<p>

Everyone sat in silence in the two cars. Skulduggery was leading them to a safe house. They drove for what seemed like hours, most of the kids and Tanith had fallen asleep. Skulduggery heard his phone ring quietly in his pocket.

"Hello?" he asked the unknown caller.

"Hey," Darquesse's voice came through so clear she almost sounded like Valkyrie again. "Just wanted to know where we were going."

Saskia watched Skulduggery as he was on the phone, she could tell from the way he moved that it was Darquesse. She had only been back in his life for a day, but she already felt like she was fighting a losing battle. No matter how evil or how many people she has killed, Skulduggery will always want Darquesse. Or Valkyrie rather, his best partner and first love since his dead wife.

"We need to get somewhere that no one knows the location of," he stated.

"And where's that?" she asked.

Tanith had awoken thanks to Skulduggery's phone and was rubbing her head groggily.

"An old friend owes me a favour," he said. Tanith smirked at Skulduggery.

"If she hasn't already been attacked," Tanith said.

"Exactly," Skulduggery replied. "Oh and Tanith…" Tanith looked up from changing the dressing on Ghastly's head. It was full of dried blood but his head was healing due to the yellow leaves Tanith had put there.

"Do not get _any _blood on my seats." She smiled and Saskia giggled. Saskia liked his jokes, usually he joked at her expense but she gave as well as she got.

Finally the Bentley pulled over on an un-lit country road. It was surrounded by a forest on each side and the clouds were low in the trees making it difficult to see more than a few metres in front. Skulduggery clicked his fingers and threw the flame that grew there into the air. It hovered and just when everyone thought it was going to go out, it began floating into the forest creating a path of light for them to follow.

Saskia followed under Skulduggery's elbow through the darkness and haze. She eyed Darquesse as she and Clyro Noir walked a short distance from the group. She envied the fact that Darquesse could glide through the black like she completely belonged there and Skulduggery was just going to let her walk right back into his life, after she just left him. Saskia found Clyro and Darquesse to be very odd and intimidating.

Saskia clung to Skulduggery as he guided her through the dark; he was walking slower then he needed to and she knew it was for her sake, she felt like a child not his partner and knew he would never love her.  
>Her insides twisted and contorted every time she saw him glance at Darquesse, even if it was just for a moment. He probably thought no-one would realise what he was looking at, but she had stared at him many times unnoticed and had noticed the direction of his gaze. It was always on her, she felt ridiculous because she was pinning for a man that would never love her back, she felt a little sly as she tried to make a man who loves someone else love her instead.<p>

Tanith came up alongside Saskia put her arm around her shoulders and pulled her away from Skulduggery, she hugged her into her side.

"How are you doing?" Tanith asked concerned.

"I'm okay I think," she tugged on her arm and led her young friend another couple of metres away from the group so they could talk. Ghastly took Saskia's place at Skulduggery's side and they started talking. She frowned wanting to be the one that Skulduggery confided in, knowing that's what he was doing with Ghastly right now.

"You like him don't you?" Saskia coughed in shock.

"No I don't," her voice sounded unconvincing and he cheeks began to burn.

"It's okay, I've known for a while," Saskia's eyes widened in shock. Then she thought of something that suddenly scared her more than any monster or villain.

"Does Skulduggery know?" Saskia watched Tanith painfully as she lowered her head and couldn't meet her eyes. Eventually she spoke after a deep breath and a shake of the shoulders.

"I think on some level he has probably figured it out. He is the best detective around you know." Saskia tried to smile but she already felt embarrassed and confused.

"So if he knows why hasn't he said anything?"

"He probably doesn't know for sure and wouldn't want to embarrass you if he were wrong. Also…"

"Also?" Saskia probed.

Tanith let out another deep breath.

"He values the relationship that he has with you, you are his student and a very good one but… I don't think he would want to jeopardise that in any way especially if he doesn't…"

"Love me back," Saskia said flatly. Tanith brought her into a tight hug.

"Don't take it personally; you know what happened to him in the war with his wife and kid, so you know he is probably really messed up about this sort of thing. Come to think of it, in all the time I have known him he hasn't paid attention to anyone. Well until…"

"Valkyrie," Saskia finished Tanith's sentence again. Knowing that he had probably fallen in love with his last student and not her made her feel so heartbroken yet she knew she would never give up.

Saskia looked up at Tanith, "Did he _ever _get over her?" she said hoping that there might be chance but the look in Tanith's eyes told her straight. No he was not over her. Not at all.

Skulduggery and Ghastly shared a look of confusion when they saw Clyro Noir run of in front and disappear leaving Darquesse still walking with the rest of them.

"Go on then," Ghastly tapped his shoulder.

"What?"

"Go find out what's going on,"

"Why do I have to go? Skulduggery said mockingly irritated.

"Because my friend, you took her as a partner when she was twelve. Everything about her is on you," with a smile Ghastly nudged him in her direction.

Skulduggery glided towards her eliciting a smile from Darquesse as he settled into stride beside her.

"Where's your friend gone?"

"He's gone to see if we are close to whatever we are looking for,"

"We are," Skulduggery replied.

The flame that Skulduggery had created to follow earlier was still guiding the way even if it only showed a few meters in front. Darquesse liked the way the light flickered off his skull, god she had missed hat.

"Solved any mysteries lately?" Darquesse asked genuinely interested. Skulduggery cocked his head to the side to look at her.

"A few,"

"And how's your partner?" she glanced back at Saskia who was walking with Tanith. She could have sworn that through the darkness that was engulfing most of her face; she was staring daggers right at her. Darquesse couldn't help but feel a little smug inside. She would consider Saskia as competition but realistically, she had no chance.

"Dedicated,"

"Not naturally talented then," she couldn't help but smile broadly as she lightly mocked his partner.

"Not everyone had Ancients blood in them Darquesse. Others have to work hard to improve their skills."

"I did work hard, well…" Skulduggery didn't say anything so she continued.

"_She _worked hard, I just happened to manifest all powerful and brilliant," she let the smile slowly slip from her face. She knew if it was Valkyrie that had just said that then it would lead into a good hour of bantering between the two, she remembered the nights they just used to spend claiming one was better than the other, then they would both give up and agree they both were good, then Skulduggery usually got his last word in and she would just laugh at him.

But now she didn't know what he thought of herself and was afraid to ask. Skulduggery noticed the change in her demeanour going from playful to sadness, he found it very difficult to not hug her like he used to but couldn't bring himself to do it just yet.

"I need your help," he said quietly next to her.

"Anything," Skulduggery hoped she was going to make it difficult so he would get frustrated and actually have a reason to not want her here, but everything she had said felt like the truth to him and if she helped he couldn't just turn his back on her. He needed her after all and seven years without hearing from or knowing why the person you loved left you just about broke him.

"The place where we are going belongs to China,"

Darquesse's head snapped round towards him.

"China Sorrows?"

"Yes,"

"The same one that betrayed you, helped murder you and your family, then pretended to be your friend for years until you finally find out,"

"Yes,"

Darquesse paused as she looked at him, trying to read what he was silently telling her through his skull.

"Well I have always wanted to smack her down since I found out myself,"

"You can't. See I found China a few years ago, complete accident but she had a weak moment and got sloppy. She told me she was fed up of being on the run and had created some especially strong and full-proof security measures around her new home."

Darquesse nodded as she listened intently to Skulduggery's story.

"One of these measures, well probably the best one is that if anyone with powerful magic gets near her, they die."

"Just like that?"

"Yes, but once they are dead she can see who they were, and say if there was a group the rest would get scared and run away .

"So what would you like me to do?" They came to an opening in the trees that dipped down a large banking. Ahead of them was a wall of white mist, the chills came at Darquesse in waves nipping at her bare arms. A low rumble could be heard from behind the mist, as she tried to see through she saw Clyro at the bottom of the banking heading into the mist. Skulduggery nodded to the others and they all started down the grass and disappeared from her and Skulduggery's view.

Skulduggery turned back to Darquesse, he watched her and cocked his head.

"Once someone has died then China will know, she will see that it is us and let us in."

"And seen as I can't really die you want me to do it?"

"It wouldn't kill you obviously, she has only given her systems the power to kill a major threat, I believe you could withstand anything she has come up with. But this one, I know for a fact you can handle this one."

"Okay," she replied. Skulduggery wasn't prepared for her immediate agreement and stepped even closer to her. His head was a few inches from her, he touched the top of her shoulder with the back of his index finger and ran it all the way down her arm. Darquesse felt it wasn't the cold that was causing her goose bumps and she could just see in her mind how this was going. Just as she was about to throw in on the floor and pounce onto of him he whispered, "thank you," and followed the others casually into the mist.

Darquesse scowled, she didn't know if he was teasing her or not but at least he wasn't repulsed by her. She gave herself a little shake and hurried up to catch Skulduggery as the mist engulfed them both.

Through the mist the sound boomed loud ringing Darquesse's ears. Before her was a huge, scary looking cliff face. From a ledge about half way up an angry wave of water lashed down into a still, silver lake below. The others stood around the lake where the spray was ice cold and thick. Darquesse peered closer at the waterfall and noticed the mouth of a cave barely noticeable behind solid wall of water. She turned to Skulduggery.

"So what do we do now?" He turned to her.

"You walk into the water."

Darquesse nodded and headed closer to the edge of the lake. Clyro tilted her head at her, Darquesse looked back her expression blank. Skulduggery noticed and realised they were communicating. Maybe not in words but they understood each other, she was telling him something. Clyro nodded minutely and then stayed still.

Skulduggery walked over to the others who were watching Darquesse.

"You might want to step back he said."

"Why? What's going on?" Tanith asked.

"The only way to get in is for someone to die," Skulduggery replied.

"Get in where?"

"Watch," was all he said in return and the others looked on as Darquesse entered the water. The lake was still, surprising due to the force the waterfall hit the surface but once it did it calmed immediately. She was calm as she waded to the centre of the lake; once she was there they heard a low buzzing sound. It grew louder and more intense and a sharp prickling sound echoed around the forest.

Darquesse was turning round, wondering what was going to happen and then the edge of the lake lit up with electric blue symbols. The lake started steaming, blue laser lights from each symbol shot straight to Darquesse.

The blue streaks caused her to scream and arch her back painfully. The pain was excruciating and her screams became blood-curdling cries. Skulduggery felt a pain go through his chest as he watched Darquesse writhe in the pain. Saskia and Blue Dolphin were gasping as Darquesse suddenly set on fire. The flames grew over her body and then she collapsed into the water. Bubbles floated to the surface and then the waterfall started to slow.

They all watched as the waterfall parted like a curtain revealing a stone rock jutting out and stood upon it, under the arch of impossible water was China Sorrows.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N**

Thank you to everyone that has reviewed, I hope this chapter will be good for you, it's a tad longer but I'm hoping that's what you all want, for now though, happy reading.

**Following The Darquesse**

**Chapter Five**

China stood under the gushing water not one drop landing on her. She was perched at the edge of the rock and looked down to see ten people gathered around her lake, most of them familiar and unmistakable, some new but unimportant.

She caught Skulduggery's eye, he usually came alone but this time he had a small army. This was not good.

"Skulduggery," she said as the waterfall above her quieted to no more than a whisper.

"China," he replied. "We need to seek refuge with you" China couldn't help feeling relieved, at least he wasn't here to kill her."

"I was alerted when the lake was activated. Tell me, who out of your group died so you could contact me?"

Before anyone could answer the lake started bubbling furiously and slowly Darquesse broke through the surface. She continued to rise out of the water and up to the ledge where China stood. Darquesse grinned as China actually looked afraid and then she touched down gently in front of her.

"Well I wouldn't say _died _exactly."

China stood her ground as this new and shocking form of Valkyrie stood before her. But she wasn't Valkyrie at all, China saw her tattoo on her arm, her Necromancer ring had been replaced with a black, nasty gauntlet and her body so hard with muscle she looked stronger than Tanith. Her sleek black trousers molded to her body and rippled down into heavy, black boots. Her top left her arms exposed and squeezed around her like oil. China had so many questions to ask but knew it wasn't really safe here, she was anxious to put up her security measures again.

Now that the symbols had been deactivated, Skulduggery flew over the lake. He landed next to Darquesse.

"China, the Sanctuary has been blown up."

_"Again?"_

"And we are on the verge of invasion. We may be the only people able to stop it. We need to stay here and form a plan of attack."

China didn't take more than a moment to consider, she then turned and walked away. Behind Skulduggery and Darquesse the water from the lake surged up and formed steps for the rest of them to walk up. It met the ledge at its edge and soaked the rocks as the water gushed back down to the lake. Tanith went up first followed by the trainees and Fletcher. Ghastly came up at the rear with Clyro Noir. Skulduggery and Darquesse followed China into the mouth of the cave, the waterfall starting again sealing the forest and the mist and the lake from view. The sound was still deafening and it wasn't until they got at least a hundred yards away that it started to drown away.

The cavern they walked through was dark and cold. The rocks coursed up around them like arms breaking through the earth's crust. Whipping and winding through the stone creating an arch for China to lead them through and down a narrow and tight spiral stairwell.

As Ghastly got to the top of the steps he turned to Clyro, the lights under his skin made him look eerie and translucent.

"I have to say, I don't like you."

"That's fine," Clyro replied. "I didn't come here to be liked."

"Why _did _you come here?"

"Because it's what Darquesse wanted."

"So you just do whatever she wants?"

"Basically."

"Why?"

"I see you are prying but I have good reasons for keeping secrets."

"You're keeping secrets? I would never have guessed," Ghastly said in a monotone voice. Clyro only smiled at his sarcasm.

"Does Darquesse have secrets?"

"Of course."

"Is she going to reveal all at some point?"

"Darquesse has many secrets, some are disturbing, some are treacherous, and some are just terrifying. As hard as it may be for you to truly believe her, she wants to help you."

"Is this help with no strings attached or is she going to kill us if we don't agree to it?"

"If that's what she wanted, then you would be dead already," Ghastly didn't doubt him for a second.

They had made their way to the caverns center. It was vast and wide and decorated to China's exquisite taste. Only China could live in a cave and make it look so glamorous and luxurious. At its core the room was embedded with comfortable looking sofas, a large deep oak coffee table and desk and elegant sculptures of women resembling China and black as pitch horses galloping under their masters. China turned as they reached the sofas, the trainees flopping down exhausted, the adults merely stood, like they had done it a million times before and it never fazed them.

"I would really love introductions to all of you but I know it won't interest me in the slightest. However Skulduggery I am interested in knowing why you all have to seek refuge. But that seems like it's going to be a long story so that will have to wait till the morning. You on the other hand…"

China looked to Darquesse as she leant against a stone pillar, arms folded and a foot on the wall behind her. She had her head low her dark hair encasing her face. She looked just like Valkyrie, except her eyes were paler and sinister.

"…I am fascinated by." Darquesse looked up and met China's eyes.

"Shame the feeling isn't mutual China."

China smiled, a good disguise, and the best to cover up the insult she had just been given. But Darquesse had gotten very good at reading people faces. Some people didn't even have faces, or eyes, or a nose. But then again they were people, a complicated mess of emotions, every single one of them.

"Would you care to follow me dear?"

"China," Skulduggery warned. "I wouldn't"

"Don't worry yourself Skulduggery. I'm not going to do anything." Darquesse followed China to a doorway leading off down a corridor.

"It's not you I am worried about," he said just as China was out of hearing distance. Darquesse walked past Skulduggery and as she did so she gave him a little wink.

Skulduggery watched as Darquesse finally disappeared down the corridor then he turned to Clyro Noir. He was a strange fellow, his black suit was tatty and ripped in places, his large top hat and white gloves made him look really old fashioned. The pale blue and pink lights that pulsed through his veins were clear under his skin but duller when he was relaxed. He sat in his armchair and waited for the rest of them to start asking questions.

Instead Skulduggery turned to Saskia.

"You and the others should get some sleep,"

"No I don't want to sleep," Saskia whined. "I want to stay here and talk."

"You just want to listen to the adult stuff." Tanith said as she laughed and pulled Saskia up from the sofa.

"Come on you guys, you need sleep to get your energy back so we can do a full days training tomorrow." Saskia's and the others eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Yes really, now go."

Saskia started running down the corridor in the opposite direction China had gone. Blue Dolphin, James, Gabriel and Shining Chopper followed.

"Just pick any room you want, but don't get lost." Tanith listened out for a reply but heard nothing but their running footsteps gradually getting quieter.

"They are so going to get lost," she chimed as she sat back down.

"Thank you Tanith."

"No problem Skulduggery. It looked like you were in for an argument." She smiled at him and then Skulduggery turned back to Clyro Noir.

"I think it's time you started talking Clyro."

"What would you like me to talk about?" Clyro didn't sound phased in the least.

"Let's start with everything Darquesse knows about The Acid Battery." Clyro simply nodded.

"Darquesse first found out about a group of mages calling themselves The Acid Battery about two years ago, when she was travelling through Japan."

"How?" Ghastly asked.

"She was in a nightclub, stumbled upon some very clumsy members who were very drunk and bragging about their accomplishments. They mentioned a plan against the Irish Sanctuary and your name was mentioned too Skulduggery." Skulduggery didn't speak so Clyro continued.

"Darquesse got talking to these members and found out the name of their boss,"

"Which was who?" Ghastly inquired.

"His name was Silvo Godske. Darquesse asked to be taken to him, the members were the most docile and stupid she had ever met, so they gave her a task and if she passed they would take her to Godske. If she failed..."

"They would attempt to kill her but not get very far," Tanith finished for him.

"Exactly. The task they gave her was to kill one of their enemies undetected. The man was across the room at the time, I remember Darquesse telling me they laughed as they gave her their impossibly hard task and by the time they had stopped he was dead and Darquesse hadn't left her seat. She was on her way to meet Godske that night. Upon meeting him she killed his two lackeys telling him they were incompetent and stupid and she was all he needed. He liked her immediately and she became his second in command."

"She was with Silvo for six months finding out everything about them. The Acid Battery consisted of one hundred mages, a few Cyclopes. They worked out of Japan trying to gain as much power as they could. Darquesse said Silvo was a greedy man, nasty and from Texas."

"Texas?" Tanith asked.

"Do you think he is related to Billy-Ray Sanguine?" Ghastly asked the irritation leaking through his voice.

"She didn't know," Clyro answered. "She never saw him and Silvo never mentioned him."

"God, I hate that guy and his stupid accent." Tanith couldn't help smile a little at Ghastly. Even though they had been together for a while now he still got jealous of Billy-Ray. She hadn't seen him in years, hadn't even heard from him. Not since the Remnant that was inside her kissed him a few times, the feeling still made her feel dirty.

"What do they want?" Skulduggery said trying to get off the Sanguine subject

"What does any dangerous mob want? To increase their power and control."

"How do they increase their power?" Skulduggery said.

"They absorb energy through hotspots, in an attempt to be powerful enough to take the energy from the three cradles. This is why Darquesse came back, to stop them taking Ireland."

"So they have already attacked the threats and protectors of Ireland," Skulduggery said. "Now they go onto the hotspots. We need to figure out where they are and stop them, China must have the locations in her books and I'll ring in enforcements. We are going to need everyone if what you say is true."

"Well the ones who attacked your training facility were just retaliating." Everyone looked at Clyro.

"Darquesse killed Silvo and all other members that were based in Japan. Obviously some field agents were still out of the country. The ones already in Ireland were probably the ones who attacked you and your Sanctuary."

"So if they aren't many of them left we can just pick them off and then there will be no more Acid Battery." Tanith looked hopeful at her words.

"Unfortunately," Clyro started. "Darquesse seems to think that Silvo was working for someone else. He was very secretive about it and she never saw anyone else but she was positive someone else was pulling his strings."

"I see," Skulduggery said pulling his phone from his pocket. "I'll be right back." He went to the far end of the room where China kept her bookcases so no-one could hear and put the phone to his ear. Tanith looked back to Clyro he was very strange to her. He didn't look quite human despite the colours running through his body. He was obedient to Darquesse yet they seemed to be friends. She was in charge that much you could tell but there was something else, like they were involved in something together which made them not want to separate. Clyro eventually noticed Tanith staring and locked eyes with her. She turned to Ghastly who was sat next to her.

"China and Darquesse have been gone for a while. Do you think I should check on them?"

Ghastly shook his head as he squeezed her knee.

"She's not Valkyrie anymore Tanith. You don't have to protect her."

"I know but…" she looked over her shoulder back to Skulduggery who was still talking on the phone. "Skulduggery still thinks he can get Valkyrie back, I can see it in him. He believes he can save her and so do I and once she is Valkyrie again at least I can say truthfully that I never gave up on her. Just like him."

Skulduggery walked back to the group and put his phone in his pocket.

"Dexter and Saracen are on their way. I'll go pick them up in the morning from the meeting point I just gave them. Anton is coming in the day after; he wants to secure The Midnight Hotel before anyone uses it to get into the country unnoticed."

"Wow. Saracen is really coming back?" Ghastly asked bemused.

"Yes. He is looking forward to The Dead Men reuniting." Ghastly smiled, he hadn't seen Dexter Vex and Saracen Rue for a long time; he was looking forward to it. Then his smiled dropped when he remembered Ravel.

"Everyone except Erskine." Skulduggery bowed his head; he too could not believe that Ravel had been killed. He already missed him.

"We can mourn Erskine when we stop the country being taken over. It is what he would have wanted." He paused and then turned to Clyro Noir once again.

"Clyro, I have to say I do believe what you have told us, and I think it will help greatly. But now you need to tell us how this really started." Skulduggery took his hat brushed off some flint and placed it on the large desk he was leaning against.

"It's quite a coincidence that Darquesse would go to the exact same bar in the exact city in the exact country to the people that were about to invade Ireland. Don't you think?"

"You're right. We tracked them there."

"Why? How did you know about them at all?"

"They killed some people Darquesse knew and after investigating the trail led us to The Acid Battery. After further investigation Darquesse was confident it was them so devised a plan to become one of them, learn their secrets, their weaknesses in a hope to bring them down."

"Did you find any weaknesses?" Tanith asked eagerly.

"A few. We used what we could and Darquesse killed most of them. The attack on your mansion proves that someone else is giving orders. But who that is I'm afraid I don't know." They all stayed quiet for a few minutes then Ghastly spoke.

"So how did you meet Darquesse?"

"I didn't."

Tanith looked at Ghastly; he had the same confused look that she did. Fletcher had fallen asleep in an armchair and was lightly snoring, the rest of them didn't notice. Skulduggery not wearing his façade was closed off to Clyro. He had no idea what he was thinking.

"After Valkyrie left Ireland she ended up in Russia. She was torturing herself, determined not to become Darquesse, kill her parents and destroy the world. She felt helpless and not being able to do it on her own she went and found help."

"From who?" Ghastly asked.

"A mage. His name was Cuff Yellcode." Tanith looked at Ghastly again, he had never heard of this mage either. They both looked to Skulduggery, he head was tilted forward.

"Skulduggery?" Tanith sounded worried.

"He was a Necromancer." Clyro knew from Skulduggery's one sentence that he had worked out what he was. Clyro nodded as he continued to explain.

"Cuff was indeed a Necromancer; he was also obsessed with science-magic and trying to combine the two. He was quite remarkable and successful."

"He was a monster." Stated Skulduggery, his voice low and deep.

"A monster that was able to help Valkyrie." Skulduggery's head rose slowly. After no more interruptions Clyro continued.

"Valkyrie needed a way to block Darquesse off or get rid of her altogether, or something that would stop her if she did turn, so Cuff made me out of her."

"He made you out of her?" Tanith repeated. "I've never heard of that being done before. I didn't know it was possible. How?"

Skulduggery stood up, placed his hat back on his head, thrust his hands into his pockets and went and stood against the wall a few feet away. He was restless.

"It's simple Tanith. A mad, lonely psycho creates a living yet dead being by magically infusing his body with the blood of the host. Of course many things can go wrong. I believe the process is painful?" He looked to Clyro, his eye sockets were piercing.

"Very painful. If the host isn't strong enough, their heart will give out, sometimes the process is completed but the host still dies. Then without the mindset and strength of the host the creation maybe uncontrollable." Clyro waved his hand casually.

"As you can see, Darquesse has no problem controlling me."

"So you are kind of like the White Cleaver?" Tanith asked. "Created by Necromancy magic and science, you are as strong as Darquesse, you have her mind, her memories?"

"Somewhat yes. I will never be as strong as her or as intelligent but I do have some power over her, that's how I was created. I have her memories, hers and Valkyrie's. I know how she thinks, how she feels, who she hates, who she loves…"

"So she controls you?"

"Yes," he replied to Skulduggery.

"Does she know you are telling us this?" He barked. Clyro nodded realizing their misunderstanding.

"She can only control me if it does not interfere with the pure purpose of my being."

"And what exactly is your purpose of being?" Ghastly asked sternly.

"If in the situation where Darquesse is to enforce her endgame, the end of the world is inevitable by her hands then the target must be eliminated for the good of the planet and its people.

"So basically you are going to kill her?" Ghastly said not quite convinced anyone could kill Darquesse.

"If I cannot flip the switch, if I cannot stop her then yes. I will kill her."

"So she just lets you tag along with her, knowing you may try and kill her one day," Tanith exhaled.

"It was Valkyrie's idea." Clyro stated blankly. Tanith and Ghastly looked shocked. Skulduggery made no movement or sounds to the knowledge that his old partner created someone out of herself to kill her.

"Why do you think she ended up going to Cuff?" Clyro said.

"Obviously she survived the process and it resulted in you," Skulduggery said eager to move the conversation on.

"I was fully functioning but still in the testing stage. I am a one of a kind so we had no idea how I was going to behave. Final testing began before…" Clyro's words became nothing as he remembered something that had happened.

"Before what?" Tanith asked gently. Something about Clyro's body language told her he was about to tell them something dreadful. He had sunk firmer into his chair, his eyes had turned dull.

"One night, I found Valkyrie very agitated and frantic …" He removed his top hat and then settled both hands in his lap. "She told me that she had just discovered that… she was pregnant." Clyro studied the responses of everyone. Tanith had her mouth wide open, her hands clasped together tightly, she was shocked. Ghastly was rubbing the back of his neck nervously not daring to look in Skulduggery's direction. Finally Clyro turned to him, he met his eye sockets and through Darquesse's expert reading of Skulduggery's skull he saw a flash of hurt and anger.

"She had a kid?" Tanith choked out. Clyro nodded.

"A few days after Valkyrie gave birth I came back from a supply run and found her paralytic. Someone had ambushed her, Cuff and their child. Valkyrie was the only survivor. They blew up the building we were residing in leaving nothing but rocks and dust all burnt to dust in the fire.

She flipped the switch.

I spent the next year following her trail of destruction, following her darkness. She wasn't hard to find but very hard to get to." Tanith was in tears, they slowly rolled down her cheeks but she made no sound. Ghastly took her hand to comfort her.

"How did you stop her?" he asked.

"Once I knew where she was I managed to get her to come back to Russia with me. I said we could search for the people who had done this to her. Took down an aero plane to get her away from the North Pole."

"An aero plane?" Tanith's eyebrows furrowed.

"She went up there for some solace, when I finally got her to come she was still unstable. The plane just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." Upon seeing their looks he quickly continued. "No-one got hurt, there were only two passengers and I got them to safety."

Tanith stayed silent for a few moments. She had so many questions, questions she knew would hurt Skulduggery. He hadn't said a word since they found out Valkyrie had a child with someone Skulduggery classes as a monster, but she was her friend too and she loved her. Everything she thought she knew about Valkyrie was unraveling. She rose from her feet and went and sat in the chair beside Clyro.

"Valkyrie had a kid?" She almost felt herself welling up again.

"Yes,"

"And the baby was killed." Tanith was gazing into the distance as she listened.

"They set off multiple explosions. We had no idea someone had found us let alone wanted to kill us. Valkyrie just wasn't strong enough, she was bed-ridden and couldn't move, never mind save her daughter."

"A daughter?" Tanith eyes were wide. Tears started spilling silently again.

"Where is she?" Tanith said as she got to her feet and wiped the tears from her face.

"You can't say anything to her Tanith." Clyro's voice was sharp and cold.

"The only reason I am telling you this is because you may need this information to figure out a way to stop them. Darquesse agreed that you select three should know, this one included if he was awake." He gestured to Fletcher still sleeping soundly. "But she will not talk to any of you about it. Well except one of you perhaps…" His voice trailed away as each one in turn looked to Skulduggery. He still did not move, did not speak. He wasn't exactly surprised but he was in pain.

"Anything else you can tell us that might be useful?" Ghastly asked as he glanced at Skulduggery but said nothing to him. He knew this just wasn't the time.

"The Acid Battery use pawns before they risk their numbers. That's what attacked you; they will go after the hotspots. But whoever is giving orders they are sinister and pure evil, they targeted Valkyrie because she was vulnerable and we are lucky that they left before killing her too."

"Why did they go leaving Valkyrie alive?" Tanith asked.

"They thought their job was done. But we are not positive why they attacked her. Why they killed her child, the father of her child and left her to survive. It's the utter most cruelty."

"This is a lot to take in," Ghastly said exhaling loudly. "Any plan we come up with won't make sense tonight. We should sleep on this and maybe things will seem clear tomorrow. Skulduggery?" Skulduggery nodded to his old friend.

"You are right. Get some sleep we will get everyone up to speed in the morning." Ghastly smiled and stood, he squeezed Skulduggery's shoulder. He could tell it was appreciated. Tanith nudged Fletcher to no avail. She nudged him again harder then she intended and he toppled to the floor.

"Hey!" he shouted as he sprung to the floor.

"Come on sleepy head," Tanith laughed. "Bed time for the children." Fletcher scowled but got up anyway rubbing his back.

"What did I miss?" Tanith just pushed him out the door, Ghastly followed laughing.

"Goodnight Skulduggery," she shouted over her shoulder. Skulduggery tipped his hat to her; she smiled and disappeared from view.

Skulduggery was left alone with Clyro, he couldn't look at him. All he wanted to do at that very moment was talk to his Valkyrie.

"She talks about you all the time," Skulduggery didn't respond, he didn't know how to. Valkyrie had been lost to him for so long now, it hurt getting his hopes up and if he never got her back, if he couldn't save her it would kill him, for good this time. When he said nothing Clyro just continued to watch him.

"You miss her too don't you?" Skulduggery couldn't muster the strength to do anything but nod.

"It must hurt knowing that rather than staying with you, trusting you to protect her she ran away into the arms of another man."

"Do not say another word." Skulduggery voice was so dark and scary Clyro did just that.

Darquesse followed China through her maze of stone rooms, each one more beautiful than the next. China walked in front with her back to her the entire time. It made Darquesse smile at China's feeble attempt at showing that she was not intimidated. She would have believed it if it wasn't for China's hand being clasped into a fist and never moving. Darquesse knew China had her fingertips on a sigil that would rip her head off is she tried anything. She wondered if she could survive that, maybe she should try it someday.

They finally arrived in what seemed to be China's personal quarters. She gestured to a blood red sofa situated in front of a large desk. China sat behind her desk and Darquesse settled on the sofa.

China finally looked into those eyes. They were so dark yet so familiar. Darquesse looked exactly like Valkyrie, China was surprised that she expected her to look different. When she had first found out that Valkyrie was the one to turn into Darquesse she didn't believe it. Then when Skulduggery came to her panicked and desperate she knew something was seriously wrong. She helped him of course, trying to find Valkyrie was difficult, and she had definitely picked up the best tricks from Skulduggery. But he wouldn't give up, he wouldn't stop and eventually after returning from Russia, a failed attempt at finding her, he broke down. It was in that moment that China promised herself she would help him. After everything she did to him in the past, he had looked past it in order to find his partner. She respected him, loved him as a dear friend even if he didn't see her as one. They kept in contact discreetly if she heard anything she let him know, if he needed help he usually came to her all the while living in secret to everyone else in the world. No one else knew where she was and no one had ever ventured far enough into her woods to discover her cave. She knew she was safe here, but now that Darquesse had turned up for how long?

"Shall I call you Darquesse?"

"That is my name."

"Why are you here?"

"I'm helping Skulduggery."

"Helping him do what?" China asked pulling over a tray with a teapot and two cups and saucers upon it. She tapped a symbol on the teapot and it lit up red, steam began to coil from the spout.

"I'm helping him solve a mystery that will save Ireland."

"I see." China nodded. "In return for what?"

"Help." Darquesse said simply. China nodded again pouring the now hot tea into the two cups. She passed one to Darquesse who took it without question.

"I'm sorry Darquesse. But I struggle to see how you could possibly need help from anybody."

"You don't have to apologize," she said taking a gulp from the tea. "I would expect you to not understand." China eyes grew smaller, the jingle in the voice disappeared.

"Why do you need help Darquesse?"

"I'm not ready to have you know China as _you_ cannot help me."

"Ah." China replaced her teacup to the tray and sat up straight in her chair.

"You want Skulduggery's help." Darquesse grinned, indicating to China that she was right.

"And what makes you think, after everything that you did to him that he would want to help you."

"He want's Valkyrie back. That's why he will help me."

"But you are the thing keeping him from her. I would have thought he would rather kill you then help you." Darquesse stopped smiling, she didn't like the way this conversation was going.

"He tried everything he could think of to get Valkyrie back. It broke him to the core. And you think you can just waltz back into his life seven years later as Valkyrie's evil counterpart and expect him to help. I would think at this very moment he is trying to find a way to kill you."

"He wouldn't do that," Darquesse said flatly. "He wouldn't kill me, then his precious Valkyrie would be dead too."

"She was dead to him the moment she stopped trusting him and ran away."

Darquesse's voice was dangerously low.

"That is _not _what happened." China felt a smile tug at her lips.

"Really? Because that is what he told me."

"You're lying." Her voice was calm yet her eyes screamed. She wanted to rip China to shreds.

"I think you know that I am not." China opened the top draw of her desk and pulled out a piece of paper. She read aloud.

"Dear Skulduggery, I am so sorry but I cannot stay. I cannot let the world end by my doing and I must find a way to stop it on my own. You may not understand why I have to do this but please don't be angry. Thank you for everything you have done for me, I will never forget you. Love Valkyrie." China looked to Darquesse with a smug expression on her face.

"That is not the original copy." Darquesse stated not what China was expecting her to say.

"No but I think it shows just how much you thought of Skulduggery. A few sentences are all he got. You can't have cared that much for him and when you ran away he finally realized that." Darquesse went to stand then fell back onto the sofa. She went to speak but couldn't talk. She grasped her throat, her eyes wide as the poison seeped through her body. She thrashed and scoffed, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as China looked on, a smile spread widely across her face.

"The moment I saw you back here I knew this is what I would have to do. Whatever you were here to do I'm sure it wasn't that important and we can manage without you." China walked around her desk and bent her knees so she was level with Darquesse, still thrashing on the sofa. China ran her fingers through her hair, her concern clearly not genuine.

"Goodnight Darquesse. You really shouldn't have come back." China took one final look as Darquesse's body sagged and stopped moving completely. China grinned, she couldn't believe she had actually managed to kill Darquesse. Then her eyes jolted open, a hand gripped her neck and as Darquesse rose from the sofa and stood she lifted China from the floor even with her seven inch heels. China scrambled for Darquesse's hand trying to pry it open, her fingers tightened around her windpipe and she struggled to breath.

"Now China, that wasn't very nice. Let me get something straight, I will end you if you get in my way. You may have everyone else fooled but I know what you want out of this. I know what you want to gain and killing me is the fastest way for you to get it." She brought China to the floor but didn't loosen her grip, she locked eyes with her. China's were watering and blood shocked. "He is mine China. You cannot have Skulduggery and if you make an attempt to annoy me again I will smash your pretty face into mush. Do you understand me?" China slowly began to nod but kept her mouth tightly shut. "Good girl. Now run along." Darquesse threw China across the room with such a casual gesture, it was like she just let go and some invisible force bolted China into the stone wall twenty feet away. She coughed as she landed and sprawled on the floor, rolling to a stop. Looking up she watched Darquesse as she gave her a wink and left. China touched the symbols on her hands, they lit up green and she rubbed them on to the deep purple bruise that was forming around her neck. It would take a few minutes for her to slowly heal herself so she retired for the night.

Darquesse wondered back to the living room, when she entered Clyro and Skulduggery were the only ones there. They both looked up.

"Where's China?"

"She went to bed," she said casually as she sat down. Both of them were watching her. She locked eyes with Clyro, he nodded.

"I shall retire now. Goodnight." He left neither Skulduggery nor Darquesse answering him. They just looked at each other. She looked over his skull, his hands, and his body. She knew whilst she was talking to China they all had words with Clyro and he told them about everything. Everything important anyway, about Clyro himself, Cuff and her daughter.

"Skulduggery," he stared at her. "I know every time you look at me you see Valkyrie, you hold me responsible for taking her away. But I didn't do what you think. I mean, I have done horrible things since I left years ago, things I can't change. But I need you, I need only you and I know you don't trust me. How can you, it was foretold for years before I actually emerged that I was going to destroy the world, my own parents, my sister, but that's not what I want. I have no reason to destroy this world; it has many things that I like., you being one of them. You want Valkyrie back and I want you to trust me, the difference is what you want doesn't exist anymore."

Skulduggery stood took Darquesse by the collar and slammed her against a stone pillar. She grappled uselessly at his hands tight, bunched into fists.

"Skulduggery," she whispered his skull inches from her face.

"She's gone. I can't give her back to you."

"I don't believe you." His voice was so low she barely heard him.

"You will. You just have to accept the fact that I can't bring her back. I am Darquesse, I own this body and mind and Valkyrie Cain is nothing but a memory. You should put her where she belongs: in the past." Skulduggery let go of her so abruptly she almost stumbled; he didn't give her another look as he stormed out leaving Darquesse in his wake.

A knock at his door told Ghastly that Skulduggery was waiting outside his room to be let in. He opened it and Skulduggery stepped in. To anyone else Skulduggery seemed calm but to Ghastly, he could see his shoulders moving minutely up and down. He was angry; Ghastly had seen him in this state many times before, he was like a ticking time bomb waiting to go ka-boom.

"So do you believe her? Are we going to form a plan?" Ghastly asked.

"It would seem so. Yes"

"Everything was fine yesterday, now today everything has completely changed. The Sanctuary was blown up, no survivors, no help and some mysterious boss working behind the scenes and for a long time now. We need to figure out who it is."

"That we do."

"Any ideas?"

"I can't really say at this point. All the major players have been dormant for years. After the riots a few years ago nothing big has happened. I just don't know but I can find out."

Skulduggery sat down on the brown, leather sofa, Ghastly took the seat next to him.

"Skulduggery I'm not going to skirt around the issue, I can see that you are not okay. But if there is anything you need me to do?"

Skulduggery appreciated Ghastly's caring nature. He never really talked about his feelings. Mostly because he just didn't want reminding of them after he had to live with them every second of every day.

"Thank you Ghastly but no." He stayed quite for a few moments. "I just… miss her." Ghastly nodded, he could tell from the first day he found out about Valkyrie leaving. "I thought I would be able to find her and coming so close in Russia only made it harder. I always lived in hope though I always believed I would find her and get her back. But now…" He let out a long heavy sigh Ghastly felt strings tug at his heart as he watched Skulduggery start to open up to him. He had never gone into too much detail about how or what he felt when Valkyrie left. He would always put on such a good show but Ghastly knew deep down he was heartbroken. His partner and best friend just upped and left him with nothing but a note. Ghastly had never seen the note Skulduggery always kept it as his last reminder of Valkyrie.

"Now I think she is gone. Darquesse said-"

"She could be lying. She just turns up out of nowhere and expects you to trust her."

"I know but how she said it, the look in her eyes. I think Valkyrie is gone, for good."

"What about your investigation into reverting her? Did you find anything new?"

"The only one that even seems half way decent is…"

"A myth?"

"A myth," Skulduggery let out a small laugh. "Every real threat or powerful magic seems to mislead us all into thinking they are myths, but even if Angel's Blood is real there have never been any recorded cases, no places where it might be or who would have it. I don't know how to find it."

"Well, that's why they call you The Skeleton Detective. If anyone was capable of finding out if it was real it would be you."

"Thank you Ghastly." Skulduggery shared a hand shake with his old friend and turned in for the night.

Darquesse awoke with a start, cold sweat dripped from her forehead. She wiped the moisture away with the back of her hand and got out of bed. The nightmares were relentless and exhausting. She fumed at the lazy attempt of China's at killing her, when she first met China back when she was twelve years old she was intimidated by her. Now Darquesse could squash her without thinking, she wanted to, she really wanted to.

Darquesse took a quick shower, the spray relaxing her tense muscles, and then she got dressed in her black trousers and top made from a similar material Ghastly always used to use, along with her thick, heavy boots and short leather jacket. She looked at herself in the mirror her hair was the darkest it had ever been, longer than Valkyrie used to keep it, her skin was pale and her eyes bright and unruly. The gauntlet looking heavy on her.

The lights along the corridors were tiny specks scattered along the walls and ceilings like stars. She made her way to the circular living area but it was empty. She couldn't hear anyone around so she went down a different corridor. She passed archways leading to a high tech gym, a steam room and an Olympic size pool and Jacuzzi. Finally at the end was a military style obstacle course.

Darquesse grinned so wide it almost hurt her face. She took a running jump, swung onto a metal bar somersaulted into a crouch on top of it and gazed around the room. The cave was wide and the ceiling's stalactites jutted down threatening to impale anyone who attempted the course. The cave walls had small grooves dug in at impossible distances; metal bars hung from the ceiling or stuck out from the walls around. Darquesse still perched on the metal bar eyed up the metal circular platform suspended in midair one hundred feet away. She stood gracefully then leaped off. She let the power of her leg muscles carry her across the gap and she landed with a casual bound to the center of the platform. She heard voices coming into the cavern and crouched so they wouldn't see her.

"It is so cool here; I can't believe Skulduggery never brought us here before." Saskia said as she walked in arm in arm with Blue Dolphin, the three boys came in afterwards.

"Look at this stuff I reckon I could do this course easily." Shining Chopper grinned in his arrogance, he went running towards the bar Darquesse had vaulted on and as he jumped he outstretched his arms, missed the bar by a few meters and landed flat on his face. The others started laughing as Gabriel helped Shining to his feet. He looked grateful but annoyed at his lack of finesse.

"We have to get better," he said. "We have to learn how to be able to protect ourselves." The frustration was growing in his voice, he started climbing up a roped wall struggling and getting his legs caught as he did.

"We are being trained," Saskia answered. "That's why Skulduggery put you in his group to be trained by Tanith and Fletcher, it's why the Sanctuary assigned me to him. So he can teach us."

"But what good did it do?" Shining shouted as he made it to the top of the wall and stood up in the turret. "We were attacked in the place we lived and slept and we barely made it through. Saskia you and Skulduggery came just in time. I think I would be dead if it were not for you."

"Exactly, that's what we do." Saskia began climbing up the rope wall after Shining, he helped her onto the turret when she reached the top. "We look out for each other, Skulduggery won't let anything happen to us."

"He did to you." Everyone turned to look at Gabriel. Saskia's eyes were wide.

"No he didn't, he-"

"You were thrown into that chandelier by a Cyclopes, I saw everything. It would have killed you if it were not for Darquesse." Saskia looked irritated.

"Darquesse didn't save me she just wanted to make an entrance." Darquesse smiled, Saskia and Shining were still on the turret not far from her.

"And what an entrance I made." Saskia yelped jumping from her skin at her voice and fell from the turret. Shining went to grab her hand but she fell too fast and plummeted to the floor. Darquesse leaped off the platform and flew like a bullet towards her. She caught Saskia in her arms and landed then dropped her to the floor onto a safety mat.

"Now that's the second time I've saved you." Saskia got to her feet slowly, she was wary of Darquesse.

"If you hurt us Skulduggery will know it was you," Saskia's voice was shaking a little.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help." Saskia scowled, she looked over to the others. Blue Dolphin didn't seem scared or mad she was intrigued. James was smiling looking up in awe at the girl who is described as a monster. Shining Chopper had come back down the rope wall and was standing beside her and Gabriel just listening.

"You're right Shining, you don't have enough training not nearly enough and maybe Skulduggery won't always be there to help you. But I can help show you things that will enable you to look after yourself."

Saskia squared her shoulders she was still extremely intimidated by Darquesse. "No one here trusts you how can you expect us to? We didn't even know Valkyrie." Darquesse's eyes went narrow so Saskia stopped talking, her next words lost in her throat.

"Okay then. Let's see… Shining what's your discipline?" He looked a bit sheepish.

"Adept."

Darquesse waited for him to finish, when he didn't she rolled her eyes.

"What specific strain of magic are you studying?"

"Oh… Bone breaking."

Darquesse's eyes went wide, a small smile on the corner of her mouth

"Really?"

"Yes. I wasn't sure if that's the discipline I wanted at first but then Skulduggery told me about this Russian guy Terry or…"

"…Tessaler?" Blue Dolphin suggested.

"Tesseract," Darquesse finished.

"You've heard of him?" Shining asked seeming a lot more relaxed now.

"I've met him. Got into a few fights with him actually. Well, Valkyrie did. Skulduggery and her had an incident with him about ten years ago."

"He's never really told me anything about Tesseract himself but his power, bone breaking as long as he got a touch in they were dead." Shining explained.

"That's true and just what we need if you are going to survive. So Shining come at me and try and break my bones."

Shining didn't move as Darquesse swept away onto one of the crash mats and waited for him. He reluctantly made his way forwards, the others watching intently.

"For your power to be useful you need to get experienced in close combat, getting up close and personal to your enemy is the key. Can you do that?"

"Probably not," he said his voice low and unbelieving. Darquesse narrowed her eyes, she was going to have to show him.

Before Shining could comprehend what she was doing she stepped in kicked his knee so he fell to the ground then elbowed the back of head so he landed face first on the mat. She touched her fingers to the back of his neck, he was breathing heavily.

"See if I were you this touch would break every bone in your body and you wouldn't even have time to think about getting up." She took his arm and yanked him to his feet.

"You need to stop with this defeatist attitude or you will get you and the ones around you killed. You all need to buck up." She looked across at their faces they all had a little tint of sadness in them, they had all lived through things that they were too young to deal with, that's why Skulduggery had chosen them. That's why she needed to help them now because they would all make good soldiers and even better people.

"Come on then, all of you come at me. The rest of you are elementals so use what you know." Blue Dolphin was just about to interrupt when Saskia started sprinting towards Darquesse her hands on fire. She threw multiple fire balls at Darquesse who let them hit her. When they made no mark on her Saskia pushed at the air and a thick wall of air flew towards Darquesse. She stepped through it then sent a stream of fire into Saskia's chest. She was thrown back and landed on the floor in front of Shining.

Shining ran towards Darquesse, Blue Dolphin right behind sending gushes of water at her hitting her in the face and whipping her back. Blood was drawn then Gabriel came up behind her and cracked her on the jaw. Shining took his chance and hit Darquesse in the face whilst Blue pushed at the air and took out her feet. Darquesse splayed her hands and they all went flying back. She waited for their next attack with a smile.

"Yes you lot are definitely going to die. Useless and wasting my time." She started walking towards the door when Saskia tripped her with one of her legs so Shining could punch her in the face. Gabriel threw fire at her, each fire ball he made bigger and bigger. Blue used the air the push Darquesse towards Shining and keep her there and with one touch on her arm he broke all her bones. The bones in Darquesse's arm shattered and a scream escaped her mouth. The youngsters stopped Shining's eyes were wide, they were all speechless. Saskia let go of Darquesse and went to check her pulse before a voice boomed around the cavern.

"What is going on here?" Skulduggery walked in hands in his pockets, his dark haired façade was up with his soul searching blue eyes.

Blue began crying and Shining started stuttering. James was wrapped in Gabriel's arms. Saskia stood and walked to Skulduggery.

"We attacked Darquesse." His voice was serious when he responded to her.

"Why on earth would you do that?"

"She told us to, but I think we went a bit far. She didn't know how good we are."

"You went a bit far?" Skulduggery's tone was lighter.

"Yes, I think we hurt her." Saskia looked guilty.

"I wouldn't worry." He replied.

"Holy crap!" Saskia spun at Shining's tone and what she saw was the bones in Darquesse's arm going back into the skin , the skin healing and all the blood was sucked back into the wound before they healed over. In a matter of second her arm looked like nothing had happened. Darquesse stood and came to stand with Skulduggery and Saskia.

"What are you doing Darquesse? If you harm anyone of these-"

"No Skulduggery," Shining interrupted. "She was just trying to help me with my bone breaking. She said she met that Tesseract guy with you that time so she was trying to give us a bit of practice."

"It's true," Saskia agreed. "She was helping us." Darquesse couldn't help smiling, she felt she had already won over the younger ones and as long as she kept them safe maybe Skulduggery would trust her.

Skulduggery looked her over just as Tanith and Fletcher arrived. Darquesse left the way she had come leaving the rest to train behind her, Skulduggery's head bowed slightly in the direction she had just gone as if he wanted to watch her go but thought better of it. She knew now that Saskia and Shining and the rest would be begging Skulduggery if she could train then, she had so many things she could teach them. She really hoped he would agree and then maybe it would feel like the days he used to train her.

Darquesse wondered back into the living room. China was now sat at the desk pouring over papers and maps; Ghastly was stood behind her with one arm lent on the edge of the desk. Clyro was sat on the sofa across from them listening, answering questions when they asked and providing tidbits of information that he thought they would find useful. Ghastly looked up as she entered the room, China didn't.

"Darquesse, would you like to take a seat?" She smiled in response and sat next to Clyro. She could never dislike Ghastly he was too caring and kind to her even if she was Darquesse and not Valkyrie. Valkyrie always had a soft spot for him, she loved him as part of her family which meant he was safe from her. Skulduggery entered the room alone, took off his hat and went and stood at China's other shoulder.

Ghastly was about to start when Saskia and the others hurried in. He gave them a disapproving look as they scuffled and sat down behind the sofa Tanith occupied. He came and stood around the front of the desk and looked at Darquesse.

"Darquesse, could you please tell me what happened after Valkyrie left?" Darquesse knew what Clyro had told them so clearly they wanted to know the things that happened before Clyro was created. They were not going to like this and Skulduggery hadn't looked at her once since he entered the room. She took a breath then started.

"Once Valkyrie knew that everyone was on their way to her house, to blow her cover with her mortal family and drag her away kicking and screaming and probably lock her away forever, she left. She knew it was the only way."

"That's not what was going to happen," Ghastly started.

"Really? What other plan did you have in mind?" Darquesse's voice was cold and harsh, Ghastly faulted.

"Valkyrie couldn't bear having her parents watch what was going to happen to her, they were safe as long as she left and the reflection vowed to protect them; she left a note and then left Ireland."

"How?" Ghastly asked confused, "We had all the airports and docks covered and we never saw Valkyrie or anything out of place that could be her leaving the country."

"Of course not, she knew she would be found if she left in any conventional way so she enlisted someone to get her to the coast and she swam."

"She swam to Russia?" China almost laughed, everyone's attention was now on Darquesse, just the way she liked it.

"No China she didn't swim to Russia."

"Who was helping her?" Tanith asked, still confused.

"The Banshee."

"A Banshee helped Valkyrie? I didn't know there were any in Ireland." Ghastly rubbed his forehead.

"Valkyrie had met her before so she agreed to help her."

"Wait," Tanith exclaimed loudly. "When did Valkyrie ever meet a Banshee?"

Darquesse looked to Skulduggery who hadn't said a word. He was clearly looking right back at her but he was determined not to help Darquesse tell her story.

"Valkyrie found the Banshee through Gordon, when she found out her true name was Darquesse and she was the one to turn into me she thought someone would find out and control her. Force her into doing the things that the sensitive's had seen. The Banshee took her to The Dullahan who then took her to Dr Nye who then sealed her name."

"I never knew Valkyrie had done that." Tanith was stunned.

"She only ever told Skulduggery." Everyone's head spun to Skulduggery, Tanith looked fuming.

"You let her go off and see Nye? Why didn't you stop her?" Skulduggery didn't look at any of his friends when he answered, he only looked at Darquesse but really he was talking to Valkyrie.

"I had no idea what Valkyrie was doing and if I did, I guarantee I would have stopped her or at least gone with her. The things Nye did to her." He stopped as his voice grew more severe and angry. Darquesse continued.

"The place in which Nye worked, only dead people could enter," the eyes watching her grew wider. "Valkyrie died when she got in The Dullahan's carriage so when Nye got hold of her she was helpless. She could do nothing as he cut open her chest and removed heart." She glanced up to hear where the sniveling and gasping was coming from. Blue looked like she was about to cry and Saskia looked like she was about to be sick.

"He carved very precise symbols onto her heart, quite skillfully I might add and then refused to return it and let her go."

"How did she escape?" China asked genuinely interested, she knew as well as any mage that was old enough that once Nye got you he never let go.

"Her ring."

"Of course," Ghastly stated. "A dead person wielding necromancy, almost impossible to beat." Darquesse nodded.

"She fought Nye then carried out her heart in a bag, once she left his workplace she was brought back to life and none of you knew any different."

"So back to the banshee." China said getting slightly irritated.

"The banshee took Valkyrie to a hiding place until the morning, and then had a boat waiting about three miles out to sea. Valkyrie swam to the boat then drove it around and past Norway, Sweden and Finland and didn't stop until she was in Russia."

"She did all that?" The question came from Gabriel, he didn't say much but Darquesse seemed to connect with his younger brother, he might be naïve but he seemed to think Darquesse would protect him.

"She went further and travelled more when Skulduggery was trapped through the portal with The Faceless Ones." Tanith just shrugged at the look Skulduggery gave her, as if to say she wasn't helping."

"What? She did. When finding your original skull was the only hope of ever seeing you again and getting you back she never stopped. Never faulted. She would not give up."

"Okay Tanith." Ghastly laid a hand on her shoulder.

"No Ghastly, she did. I have never seen her fight for something more. I know Darquesse isn't Valkyrie," she turned to look her face to face. "But she is my best friend and I will never stop helping her and she wouldn't want us to not help this country just because her evil twin is here. Look at what she is doing, she came back to help."

"Tanith for God's sake shut up." China caught Tanith's eye trying to intimidate her into backing down.

"What was that bitch? I didn't hear you." China scowled but didn't respond.

"Darquesse, where did Valkyrie stay when she got to Russia?" Ghastly asked slowly.

"The Banshee arranged for one of her contacts to meet Valkyrie in a town called Shlisselberg about twenty two miles east of St Petersburg." No one else but Darquesse saw the glance that was exchanged between Skulduggery and Ghastly. Ghastly did it so casually no one would ever have noticed and Skulduggery moved no more than a millimeter. Far too difficult for the human or even everyday mage to pick up, but for Darquesse it flashed brightly in her vision. Ghastly and Skulduggery knew something which was interesting enough, but what was more interesting was that they hadn't told the rest of their friends anything about it. Her curiosity soared.

"Cuff Yellcode was the Banshee's contact, he took Valkyrie in and fixed her up, healed her wounds."

"Why did she need healing?" China asked.

"You don't think she got to Russia on a breeze do you? That area of Russia was plagued with vampires and hollow men then, the Sanctuary could barely keep it from the mortal public."

"Oh yes that right," China agreed. "They were having trouble but made it perfectly clear to the other Sanctuaries that they didn't require any help or interference from any other country. I thought they were just being stubborn but maybe there is another reason they didn't want the rest of the world going into Russia."

"Like what?" Tanith tested.

"Like they were hiding something." Finished Skulduggery.

"Where did Valkyrie and Yellcode stay?" China enquired again.

"In a warehouse below ground, Valkyrie rarely left and Cuff came to her every day. The banshee had obviously told him who Valkyrie was and he offered to help her find a way using the combination of science and magic. He researched little because nothing like this had ever been attempted before so it was basically trial and error. Experimenting with different procedures and operations until one day he succeeded and Clyro started to grow. Within weeks he was at full size, his life signs were non-existent but then, he opened his eyes. He could talk and walk and after a few days he could perform magic. It was Cuff's greatest achievement and Valkyrie finally had some piece of mind. She could finally go to sleep knowing that maybe she wouldn't destroy the world.  
>She became very close to Cuff and one night…"<p>

Darquesse felt the temperature of the room quickly escalate. From awkwardness, to embarrassment to lust to anger. They knew what she was about to tell them and everyone in the room got very tense. No one dared to look around and catch another person's eye. They were all trained on Darquesse.

"Valkyrie and Cuff were together intimately that night and three months later Valkyrie realized she was pregnant. By this time Cuff was only visiting once a week and he never really explained why. He said his work at the Sanctuary was increasing by the minute." Ghastly waved his hand suddenly.

"Yellcode worked for the Russian Sanctuary?"

"He said he did, he never brought any work back with him or mentioned any names of the people he worked with. Valkyrie never left the warehouse so really he could have been going anywhere."

"We will have to do a check on him, somehow."

"So were things different by the time Valkyrie… gave birth?" Tanith asked delicately.

"Valkyrie didn't tell Cuff she was pregnant, he seemed irritated and frustrated with her and she could never understand why, she was exhausted most of the time and slept through days on end. It went on for months until she confronted him, they argued and she told him she was pregnant. After that everything changed, he stayed with her all the time, looked after her until she was ready. The only thing she did notice was that he would always sneak off to his office, in the beginning he was very open about his work but he kept his office locked and never allowed her in, sometimes she thought she heard voices but being out of it for most of the time she was probably dreaming."

"She gave birth on the 31st of October to a daughter. Cuff took her and laid her in the cot next to her bed. The next thing she knew her entire room was on fire. The cot was empty, she tried to find her baby, and she searched everywhere until Clyro pulled her from the warehouse. Everything had been destroyed there was nothing left just dust. That was my first night in town."

Darquesse skipped the next year when she took over Valkyrie, the things she did were not pleasant to listen to. She told them of a group of thugs in a bar the next town over who politely told Darquesse about The Acid Battery and how they frequently visited that area. She told them how her and Clyro managed to track some of them down to a club in Japan where two low level lackeys had irresponsibly got drunk and bragged, to each other about Shlisselberg and how Skulduggery Pleasant and the Irish Sanctuary didn't know what was coming. After that Darquesse infiltrated The Acid Battery and became trusted by their leader, Silvo Godske. He confided in her about their battle plans and tactics, she was an excellent fighter and a great asset to Silvo, plus he fancied her so he was keen to keep her tight in the circle no matter _who_ opposed. They died shortly after. Silvo told Darquesse about their plan to attack the Sanctuary using an unknown contact he never told Darquesse about and then target the hotspots. They were hoping one or more of the elders would be in the building with the exception of Ravel who they knew would be out of the country and was taken care of before he had a chance to tell the Americans.

The hotspots Silvo knew about were Lake Marina, Aranmore Farm and The Shea's Family Home: Dalton House Inn and he planned to attack them the following night. Three hotspots mirroring three cradles, each one in need of being locked somehow so nothing could absorb the magic and use its power.

Within minutes of Darquesse finishing her story everyone had parted ways to either train or research or sew or sleep. Skulduggery was left in the living room. He stayed as he tried to mull things over, he didn't know how he felt about Valkyrie having a child. He felt lost, he needed Valkyrie back but Darquesse was so different. Was she telling the truth when she said Valkyrie didn't exist anymore? He dreaded to even think of a world that she was not part of, it was unbearable.

"Skulduggery?" he looked up to see Darquesse sauntering in.

"Your young ones are actually quite good you know. Shining is going to be a real firecracker."

"I should hope so, they are being taught by the best." He replied as she plonked herself down on the sofa next to him, reminding him so much of Valkyrie.

"What? I've only been here for a day, I know I'm good but not that good, well maybe I am. _Now_ they are getting taught by the best." A grin erupted on her face and she could tell by the way he wasn't looking at her, that he was amused and didn't want her to hear him laugh. She nudged him slightly in the arm and flopped back down against the cushions on the sofa.

"I would like to help train them Skulduggery,"

"Why would that be Darquesse?"

"Because I've picked up a few tricks on my travels which may be useful to them, plus with me being closer to their age I think they would relate to me."

"I'm not sure easier ways to kill people is what they need right now." She smiled. "And are you saying I am old?"

"I have other abilities I could teach them, I just want to pass on my wisdom and yes Skulduggery, you are ancient."

"You really think we are going to trust you with them? What if this was your plan all along? To get close to them and kill them, maybe you are still working for The Acid Battery." Darquesse laughed.

"I'm not."

"What do you want Darquesse?" his tone was stern and she stopped laughing.

"If I help you, you would be more inclined to help me in return." She replied, her own face going cold and blank.

"Help with what?"

"Finding someone."

"I would have thought you of all people would be able to find anyone you wanted, Darquesse."

"I… I can't," Her voice broke slightly. She could feel Skulduggery watching her every move, unwavering.

"I have to go," he watched her practically run out of the room.

Something started buzzing in his head, if Darquesse could feel things that clearly belong to Valkyrie, then maybe he could pull her back, maybe.

China's secret cave was silent and chilling in the early hours of the next morning. The mist began to seep over the hills and settle amongst the surrounding forest. Tanith found Skulduggery and China in her lounge just off from her bedroom, it reminded Tanith of China's library with the same colours and fabrics. The entire complex had various symbols dotted about but they were everywhere in here. She guessed China was paranoid ever since Skulduggery exiled her from his life, she fled and no-one had seen her since. Both Skulduggery and China were sat at the large oak table that centered the room; they looked up when she walked in.

"So what's the plan for today?"

China tapped the seat next to her and pushed a few thick, dusty volumes towards her.

"We need to find out everything about The Acid Battery and just to be sure, refresh our memories of all the magical hotspots in the country, just in case there are more than three."

"So Darquesse was telling the truth?" Tanith looked to China; the irritation was clear on her face. Skulduggery answered instead as he closed the book he was casually flipping through and turned to Tanith.

"We don't know, not for sure anyway. However Lake Marina does happen to be a hotspot like she said, weather that means that there are two more or not- I guess I will pay them all a visit myself. See if I can figure anything out."

"You aren't going alone," China stated.

"I won't be. Darquesse will come with me."

Both Tanith and China looked up in shock.

"What?" they both said in unison.

"Is it wise to be alone with her? To go off on a mission and leave yourself vulnerable?" The irritation on China's face had grown until she was positively red. She stood up from her chair and stormed over to Skulduggery. "Are you insane?"

"It's not like I am completely defenseless China."

"Why would you even risk it?"

"I finally have Valkyrie in my sights and I'll be damned if I let her go again. She says with me."

"That's fine by me," the voice came from the doorway behind them, they turned but Skulduggery was the only one Darquesse noticed.

The clothes she had worn since she returned re-enforced her sinister and cold demeanor she was now plagued with, but now as Skulduggery, Tanith and China looked upon her in comfortable jeans, a simple long-sleeved black jumper and boots that looked an awful lot like Ghastly boots, she looked like the last seven years had never happened. Skulduggery knew instantly that Ghastly had made them for her last night, along with the leather jacket she had flung onto the sofa. Over the years Skulduggery had on many occasions when life without Valkyrie had got too much, hidden out at Ghastly's shop. He watched him work producing incredible suits and clothes when duties at the Sanctuary were light. It was a time when both Skulduggery and Ghastly could be peaceful on the outside when inside they were turning to pieces. Of course things for Ghastly turned out immensely better when he finally asked Tanith to marry him and she said yes. But Skulduggery couldn't let anyone else in, not in the same way Valkyrie had managed to. She was his partner and although Saskia showed promise she wasn't his Valkyrie.

"The three places I mentioned earlier are hotspots, but there are other locations that aren't as strongly linked with magic but can still be harnessed for some serious mojo." Ghastly and Clyro entered the room.

"We better get researching then," Ghastly said sharing a smile with Darquesse then seating himself next to Tanith. Darquesse felt the air between her and Skulduggery change as she sat down next to him, China scowled but tried to act as if it didn't bother her and Tanith was practically beaming.

They worked to form a plan, a plan that consisted of Skulduggery and Darquesse going to the first hotspot Lake Marina and the second, Dalton House Inn. The third, Aranmore farm Ghastly and Tanith were visiting with Fletcher obviously that meant that China had to babysit which she was not at all happy with.

Skulduggery found her in the lounge reading under a lamp. It was strange looking at her and seeing her so peaceful, Valkyrie hated doing research or studying she always wanted the action and excitement. Darquesse only wanted death but here in front of him now, she looked beautiful and content. He watched her for at least five minutes before he approached her, her smile was like someone stamping on his heart and dangling everything he wanted in front of him but kept it out of reach.

"What are you reading?" Skulduggery asked as he sat down beside Darquesse. She showed him the front cover, it presented a large crest that he instantly knew belonged to China's family.

"She won't be happy you are looking in that." He said in a mocking tone, Darquesse laughed closing the book and leaving it on her lap.

"China's never happy with anything, unless it's you." Skulduggery caught the look on her face that she tried so hard to ignore but she couldn't meet his eyes. He had no idea China had tried to kill her the first night they got to her cave. Her attempts actually amused Darquesse but she knew if Skulduggery knew he would probably kill her himself. Skulduggery recognized something was wrong, this woman beside him was definitely not Valkyrie, she was her evil counterpart yet she seemed sad, incomplete. Skulduggery knew the effects of losing a child and even though it was Valkyrie who gave birth, Darquesse too felt that love and that mother instinct. The grief would have poured over her and crushed Valkyrie, it almost did and Skulduggery finally understood why Darquesse was here. Darquesse emerged because the grief would have killed Valkyrie, she took over not only because she was stronger to handle the pain but she was stronger to dish out their revenge on the person who attacked them. Who killed Valkyrie's little baby girl.

"Would you like to come with me to pick up Dexter and Saracen?" he asked. She took his gloved hand without hesitating and couldn't help hanging onto his hand for a few moments longer. Her stomach fluttered when he didn't pull away. She looked into his skull and watched as he put his fingers into his collar and pressed the symbol etched onto his collarbone.

"Where did you tell them to meet you?"

"Lake Marina." Darquesse cocked her eyebrow at Skulduggery.

"I knew we were going to have to go there sooner or later. This way we should have eyes there before anyone else shows up, just in case they move up their timetable."

"Whoever is in charge must know that their ambushes were slaughtered so it's only a matter of time before they find us. They have ways and Ireland is such a small place compared to Russia."

Skulduggery led Darquesse to the spot where he had hidden the Bentley. Both of them were the epitome of chilling as they ghostly glided through the trees. The darkness inking the sky like a children's painting, the trees created shadows of such dark intensity even Darquesse would be jealous. He stopped when he got to the Bentley, gave out a deep breath and turned to face Darquesse. She strode towards him and stopped a mere centimeter from his face. He could feel her cool breath flow over him and see the light that was surprisingly still in her eyes. She pressed forward and pinned him to the Bentley, he froze not sure what was happening until Darquesse slipped her fingers into his jacket and placed her hand on his chest. She marveled at his perfect, flawless skin that had erupted from his collar and over his face when Skulduggery touched the sigil earlier. Chocolate hair waved down his face making him look sexy. Blue crystal eyes pierced hers, her insides burned when she saw his eyes flick down to her lips. Her eyes widened when she saw skin in the gap between his sleeve and glove. She took his hand and squeezed revealing in the fact that his façade didn't just create a new face for him, but an entire body. He watched her intensely as she inspected him; he enjoyed the feel of her hands roaming his skin and the look of utter delight on her face. Their eyes connected and Skulduggery saw the change in hers, they dilated and turned a harsh black.

"Darquesse?" Skulduggery opened his mouth to say something more but was quickly silenced when Darquesse took her chance, finally their lips met.

She took hold of his soft jacket and clenched her fists pulling herself closer to him. She felt him battle with himself, between letting her carry on kissing him and pushing her away, because after all she was Darquesse. She decided to help him decide by delicately licking his bottom lip with her tongue. She felt him quiver under her touch so she wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him harder. He responded to her kisses with just as much heat and hunger and in seconds she was flipped and pinned against the Bentley herself. Darquesse let out a soft moan, she felt herself get wet at Skulduggery's forcefulness, and he clung to her waist, their kisses becoming more urgent and hot. Darquesse pulled Skulduggery closer so she could hook one leg over his hip. His hand immediately went to her thigh; he could feel her entire body trapped between him and the Bentley, gloriously running her hands over him. She gave her leg a quick squeeze connecting their hips and was rewarded with a muffled moan into her neck from Skulduggery.

He then spun away from her and let her fall to floor. Darquesse wasn't used to being close to anyone never mind being rejected, so with the sudden absence of Skulduggery she fell to the floor and landed hard on her arse. She was still sat on the ground when she heard the door of the Bentley close, indicating Skulduggery had got into the car. She huffed when the engine started up, brushed herself off and slid into the car, he wouldn't look at her but she scowled anyway. They set off at an alarming speed, swerving down the overgrown trail that eventually led to the road. Skulduggery glanced at Darquesse then touched his collar and the façade melted away.

"Don't do that again."

"Do what?" Darquesse asked innocently.

"You know what."

"Oh, you mean don't kiss you?"

"Yes."

"And don't pin you to the car with my body."

"Yes."

"And don't make you like it and obsess over me doing it again."

Darquesse had hoped she could playfully trick him into saying yes to her last sentence but of course Skulduggery didn't fall for it. He merely looked at her sternly, as sternly as he could with no facial muscles.

"Don't do that again." and he didn't speak for the rest of the journey.

They drove for a few hours, the only beams were the streetlights and the Bentley's dashboard. Darquesse had sunken down into the seat, her head was resting on the window as she drifted in a half sleep. Skulduggery couldn't help glancing over every now and then. He couldn't understand how she could look so much like Valkyrie but be a completely different person. The more time he spent with her the more he thought Valkyrie was pushing through, but then Darquesse would do something to make his world come crashing down and remind him that she's not her.

The rain was lashing down against the window in front of her when Darquesse opened her eyes. She felt drained yet the low hum of the Bentley comforted her. She stretched out her long legs too groggy to care that Skulduggery was still sat next to her.

"Are you okay?" The concern in his voice surprised her, he didn't look away from the road but she could tell he was waiting patiently for her answer.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You sounded like you were having a nightmare." Darquesse rubbed her sleep-filled eyes and brushed the hair away from her face.

"It was nothing," Skulduggery didn't pursue the conversation further.

They arrived at Lake Marina just after mid-night, the air was cool against Darquesse's skin and the wind rustled the leaves as they made their way down to the hilly trail that ended at the lake. Trees secluded the area each swaying in the wind creaking and whipping the branches like they were hair. The water looked murky and ever-lastingly deep. They reached the edge and looked over the surface. The lake itself was about the size of a football pitch and no-one knew exactly how deep it went. The legend of Lake Marina was just meant to be a story, but Darquesse wasn't sure.

"So what do we do now?" Darquesse asked. Skulduggery took a piece of paper from his pocket and un-folded it revealing a sigil China had drawn which would seal the magic at its source.

"I carve this symbol on to three trees creating a triangle and then that should cut off the magic forever."

"What if someone cuts the trees down?" Skulduggery looked to her, a smirk on her face."

"The sigil will be rooted in this whole expanse. Even if the tree was cut down once the supply of magic is stopped you can't get it back. Doesn't matter what they try, this place will be of no use to them."

Darquesse nodded and allowed Skulduggery to search for the three trees that would create a perfect triangle. She wandered to the edge of the lake and looked out into the misty cool air. It was beautiful in a strange and chilling way, and even more chilling when she felt a bizarre sensation pass through her. A feeling that was familiar but one she couldn't quite place. Then she felt the cracks in the ground begin to open slowly, trying to sneak up on her. She spun and watched as Billy-Ray Sanguine rose from the ground in front of her. He had his back to her and when he emerged fully he shook his shoulders and looked around. He hadn't realized that she was stood behind him so she let out a polite cough. He spun on the spot and when he saw her his face dropped.

* * *

><p><strong>Until next time, only 242 days away from Book 9!<strong>


	7. Chapter 6

**Following the Darquesse.**

**Chapter Six**

**Disclaimer: I own** **nothing of Skulduggery Pleasant, Derek Landy does.**

At first, shock clouded Billy-Ray's face then a sickening smirk spread across it instead.  
>"Well well well," he almost sang. "Look who it is. Valkyrie Cain." His demeanour visibly relaxed as if he thought she wasn't a threat. When she didn't react his smirk grew even bigger.<br>"God, I haven't come across you in years. Not that I'm not happy about that, but I was, us being mortal enemies and all." He studied Darquesse, silently looking for the reason things seemed a tad odd.  
>"It always irritated me that I never managed to kill you, if stealing from me and foiling many of my plans wasn't a good enough reason." Her face was still blank which made him frown. "Obviously you could never kill me either, I was too clever for you. The one that always got away."<br>"I wouldn't give you that much credit." She said lazily.  
>"Finally!" he exclaimed throwing his arms in the air. "She talks. Thought you had gone all demented on me." She narrowed her eyes at him. "You look different. I heard you went missing, never to be seen again, but here you are. I also heard how you left your pathetic partner heartbroken." Sanguine mockingly put his hands on his heart.<br>"Where is the annoying skeleton anyway?"  
>Darquesse gestured with her head behind him. When he turned he saw Skulduggery carving a sigil into a tree about fifty meters away, his back was turned so Darquesse had no idea if he knew Sanguine had appeared or not.<br>"So I guess you two are still fighting crime then, on to my little plan with the hotspots eh? Well I can't get them all but neither can you Valkyrie." Sanguine stated smugly.  
>"That's not my name."<br>"Really?" he sounded surprised, he rubbed his chin a few time then took off his sunglasses to clean then with a small cloth he pulled from his pocket. "Oh God you haven't gone and changed your name have you? Because I'll tell you it's hard enough keeping up with everyone's made up names, especially the stupid ones I can't pronounce. If people keep changing them I'll never know if I'm killing the right person or not." He replaced his sunglasses. She couldn't tell if he was joking but it wouldn't surprise her if he was being completely honest.  
>"Why did you change it then?" He asked genuinely interested.<br>"I didn't." His eyebrows narrowed in confusion.  
>"But if Valkyrie Cain isn't your name then…" Sanguine left his sentence open for her to answer, he raised his eyebrows waiting for her response.<br>"I go by my true name now." Sanguine let out a long, low whistle.  
>"You know your true name? Now that is impressive. What do I call you?" A small smile slid across his face.<br>"If you think me telling you my true name will allow you to control me, you are sadly mistaken. I had it sealed. Sanguine practically beamed at her.  
>"Ah, you caught me but if you found out your true name how did you seal it? Don't think I've ever heard of it being done before. It's very remarkable for you anyway." He tried not to make his insult to subtle. "When did you seal it?"<br>"The year of the Remnant's escape from The Midnight Hotel."  
>"Wow. You were like-"<br>"Sixteen." She finished for him. As she watched him she could tell he was enjoying this. That vile grin he had wouldn't last long once she told him her name.  
>"I'm not sure I believe you. Yeah sure, you were good for a little girl, but most people never find out their true name or else everyone would be power crazy. But I suppose whatever delusion you are under it wouldn't hurt to humour you. Are you going to introduce yourself to good old Billy?" He asked. She took a few steps forward so she could see her reflection in his sunglasses.<br>"Believe me when I tell you Billy," her voice was sinisterly low, she took a few steps forward. "My name is Darquesse." Now it was her turn to produce the sickening smirk. Sanguine literally went pale, his words caught in his throat and he unconsciously took a step back, and Darquesse simultaneously took another one forward.  
>"We know what your plan is Billy," she cooed stalking him like prey, she was immensely enjoying his reaction, seeing him Adam's apple bulge in his throat as he gulped. When he stopped to stand his ground she left mere inches between them. She really had a thing for other people's personal space. "If I were you I would abandon your plan and just…" She locked her eyes on where his should have been. "… Run."<p>

With that Sanguine began to sink into the ground. Darquesse chuckled to herself as she grabbed him by the collar and tossed him effortlessly out from the cracked ground that formed at his feet and into the thick, heavy trunk of an oak tree nearby. She heard the satisfying crunch of bones breaking when he impacted and slid down the bark to the soggy ground.  
>Skulduggery had slowly stood and turned, knowing full well Sanguine had appeared, he saw Darquesse picking up Sanguine by the scruff of the neck and looking in his direction.<br>"Don't worry; it's just good, old Billy-Ray Sanguine. Think he decided to take a nap." She said as she pulled him from the lump he had fallen into and dragged him to the edge of the lake. Skulduggery had sauntered from the tree he had finished carving on and looked over his unconscious form and then his gaze trained on Darquesse. She kept her eyes glued to his before he looked away.  
>"So Sanguine is behind this," Skulduggery mulled as Darquesse started riffling through Sanguine's pockets. She pulled out his straight razor with the letter B-R.S. engraved on the handle, spun it in her fingers a few times then slid it into her back pocket.<br>"Well he is definitely involved and he said his plan _was_ to get the hotspots, but even if we stopped him getting to this one, there is plenty more for him to go after. Weather he's the leader or not I still don't know. Stupid, silly Texan going unconscious too easily." Darquesse moaned going through the rest of his pockets and pulling out a phone. She held out the phone in her hand and offered it to Skulduggery who took it and turned it over in his hands. "It doesn't work," he commented. "The screen is smashed and the buttons are jammed."  
>"That might have been my fault," Darquesse chortled.<br>"We should take him back with us," Skulduggery stated putting the phone into his inside pocket. "try and get some information out of him. He hasn't been seen in years so it would be interesting to find out what he's been up to all this time."  
>Skulduggery bent down and put a pair of magic-draining handcuffs on Sanguine before he woke up. Once he stood Darquesse stepped around Sanguine and slipped her hand in Skulduggery's jacket pocket. He froze, her face coming seriously close to his skull, as she leaned forward she found what she was looking for and pulled out the piece of paper China had drawn the sigil on for him. She lingered, her eyes never leaving his.<br>"Where's the next tree?" she asked. Skulduggery pointed in the direction and he began walking, Darquesse fell into step alongside him. Once Skulduggery stopped in front of the tree he pulled out the spike, the same one he used on the first tree and held out his gloved hand for the piece of paper. Darquesse smiled sweetly at him then placed her palm over the paper, her finger drifted over the lines as her eyes fluttered closed. Skulduggery watched intently, her eyes opened and she smiled to herself knowing that Skulduggery was watching her. He had no idea what she was doing but it transformed her into something tranquil and peaceful.  
>"So Sanguine's been out of the game for a while then?" Darquesse asked curiously.<br>"Honestly I don't know," replied Skulduggery. "He was last seen in Russia, not long after…" He trailed off. "I assumed he was dead, we all did but obviously… he is not."  
>"What if he disappeared because he was ordered to, for this plan? If its true then they have been working on this for a long time, they are probably way ahead by now." She said darkly.<br>"I know." They shared a look. A look they could read easily, that this situation was bound to get worse before it got better. Skulduggery raised the spike to begin carving, before he could Darquesse took hold of his wrist gently, he didn't stop her.  
>"Allow me," she whispered and with her other hand she placed her palm on the tree and within seconds smoke started to rise from between her fingers. When she removed her hand the sigil had been perfectly burned into the bark. Skulduggery gave a short nod of approval, took the hand that was still clasping his wrist and led Darquesse to the last tree to complete the triangle. Once the third sigil had been burned into the trunk of the last tree it lit up a bright glowing blue. Darquesse and Skulduggery looked behind them to see the other two sigils were lit up as well. They shone brightly for a moment then turned a startling white before going out completely plunging the lake back into night.<br>"Yeah, I think that worked," Darquesse announced.  
>"I agree." Skulduggery nodded once again and headed back towards Sanguine's unmoved body, Darquesse following in his wake. Skulduggery's steps grew slower as he tilted his head to the side then he stopped completely.<br>"Did you hear that?" he asked already pulling out his revolver.  
>"Yes." They scanned the surrounding area for anything that could have made the noise. They turned slowly in a circle back to back, Darquesse's shadows leaked from her gauntlet scouring the ground and seeping into every space swallowed in gloom. In a matter of seconds her shadows found the source and pulled two unsuspecting men from the bushes. Skulduggery didn't hesitate upon seeing the men in putting away his gun. They landed on the ground in a tangle of limbs and stared wide eyed at Skulduggery and Darquesse, her shadows swarming protectively around her.<br>Skulduggery took off his hat rubbing some imaginary lint off before replacing it on his skull.  
>"Dexter, Saracen. Nice of you to join us."<br>Dexter managed to untangle himself and stand first, Saracen scrambled on the ground before Dexter caught him under the arm and helped him to his feet.  
>"Well you know us Skulduggery, we like to drop in unannounced." Saracen chuckled. Darquesse regarded the two men who were apparently Skulduggery's allies. Dexter the tall one she had met before, well Valkyrie had met him at the last Requiem Ball and she remembered how attractive Valkyrie thought he was. Saracen on the other hand she had never met before, just heard brief snippets of information about him. One piece she found interesting, the fact that no-one knew what Saracen's powers were or what branch of magic he studied. Although from looking at him she could sense his magic, it danced about in splatters of colour around him, similar to that of Skulduggery's magical aurar. She couldn't help smiling to herself.<br>"It's great to see you," Dexter said coming forward and wrapping his big arms around Skulduggery.  
>"Erm… yes… Dexter. You can stop hugging me now." Skulduggery groaned as Dexter released him, a quizzical expression on his face.<br>"Are you sure? I thought you loved hugs."  
>"Fairly certain I don't." Dexter wiped his chin, his look of confusion melting away and spreading into a breath-taking beam. He came forward again and hugged Skulduggery forcefully, it was returned with the same mutual sincerity. Saracen didn't bother with a hug, but when Skulduggery looked to him, he couldn't leave him hanging. He managed a pat on the back as well for long time's sake<br>"Skulduggery, what sort of trouble have you got yourself caught up in this time?" Saracen said with an exasperated laugh.  
>"Actually Saracen, the whole country is in trouble, someone is trying to channel and harness the magic from its source."<br>"Why would they do that?" Dexter asked.  
>"Why wouldn't they? Saracen interjected gaining a frown from Dexter.<br>"Ireland is where magic came from; it's layered in generations of history. If i wanted to take over everything in this world then that's where I would start."  
>"World domination, of course." Skulduggery bowed his head as the realisation dawned on him.<br>"Sounds too.. general for me."  
>All three heads turned to Darquesse, she felt their eyes roam over her face with confusion. When the confusion didn't lift straight away she clarified.<br>"I think it's too personal. Yes Ireland is rich in magic but so are other countries, there are places drenched in it and easier to get at and adding the fact that the Sanctuary was blown up proves it's an attack against a specific target. My bet is on you Skulduggery. This was done so when their actual attack comes, they will be no one of authority to lead the fight." Skulduggery stared at her.

Dexter stepped forward noticing the serious tones the conversation had drifted into and almost went to shake Darquesse's hand before thinking better of it. His hand slowly rubbed the back of his neck gingerly.  
>"Hello Darquesse, I don't know if you remember me, we met once before."<p>

Shivers went down his spine and pricked at the hairs on the back of his neck when she trained her eyes on him.  
>"Hello Dexter, yes I do remember you. We met at The Requiem Ball."<br>"That's right we did. You have grown so much since then," he observed, a little astonished she remembered him now that she seemed to be completely bad-ass. Saracen stepped forward and held out his hand.  
>"Hi Darquesse, I'm Saracen Rue. I've heard a lot about you." Darquesse shook his hand gently, his skin was so soft. Saracen made a point of looking over his shoulder at Dexter as if to say 'you big wimp.'<br>"I've heard a lot about you too Saracen," she replied. "I'm intrigued that no-one seems to know what magical abilities you have."  
>Saracen couldn't help grinning wildly. "I am excellent at keeping secrets." He stated.<br>Darquesse locked eyes with him. "Me too." Her grin mirrored his, his brows furrowed sceptically.  
>"Did you get this place locked down?" Asked Dexter glancing around their surroundings, more out of instinct then necessity.<br>"Yes," replied Skulduggery. "We should go, Dexter would you get that for us please?" He gestured half-heartily behind Dexter who turned and huffed when he saw Sanguine's sleeping form.  
>"Why do I always have to do the heavy lifting." He moaned lightly kicking stray rocks under his feet into the lake creating ripples.<br>"Because you're the muscle Dexter," Saracen chuckled out as he patted his shoulder. "Now get."  
>Dexter huffed again as he made his way to Sanguine. As he heaved him onto his shoulders he kicked another sprinkling of rocks into the lake. The surface of the water rippled and the whole forest surrounding the lake went silent. Skulduggery and the rest stopped, sensing the change in the atmosphere. Darquesse approached the edge of the lake cautiously keeping her eyes alert as they whizzed over the surface of the grey water.<br>"Darquesse," Skulduggery warned. Everyone watched as she looked over the lake. When nothing happened Dexter gave a sigh of relief and began walking behind Saracen who was already heading towards the Bentley.  
>Suddenly the water swirled up like a hand, rasped Darquesse by the ankle and dragged her into the lake.<br>"No!" Skulduggery shouted before running forward ready to jump in after her. Dexter and Saracen shared a troubled glance, before Dexter dumped Sanguine on the floor without hesitation and ran to stop Skulduggery.  
>"Skulduggery stop. You know who she is, you know she can handle this. Let her come back on her own."<br>"We have no idea what is in there Dexter," he continued shouting but he stopped resisting Dexter's grasp. Saracen stepped forward.  
>"And if you go in there after her and you die, what hope does your country have? The rest of the world?"<br>"Skulduggery," Skulduggery turned to meet Saracen's eyes. "She will be okay," he said confidently. "I just know it." Skulduggery nodded, he knew Saracen was never wrong and he could trust him but it didn't stop him worrying. Dexter and Saracen could see he was in pain but all they could do was wait by the side of the lake for Darquesse to return to the surface.  
>Darquesse was pulled deeper into the lake, she felt like she was being dragged down for miles. She enjoyed it a little, the tightness held onto her leg. She could have yanked free from it if she wanted but she was oddly curious about what was in the lake. Was it Marina? Was it mermaids? She didn't know but she knew she was going to find out very soon. Abruptly she was let go and left to float in the darkness around her. She let the water take her wait and slowly hold her there, she felt things swarming, surrounding her, slicing her as they passed. She was tossed and turned in the water engulfed by the onslaught. The pain was getting worse and all too soon the fun was gone, he lunged were beginning to burn from the lack of oxygen but she ignored it.<br>A wet, slimy hand wrapped around her throat and squeezed. The water was already making her suffocate and this hand was speeding up the process. Her throat was boiling and convulsing, her body was throbbing so she let herself go limp and the hand around her neck loosened.  
>Darquesse snapped her head up, her whole body set on fire in black and orange watery flames. The face her eyes met was that of Marina, a rotting, decomposing empty shell of the woman she once was. Marina's eyes widened in fright as Darquesse fluently removed her hand from her neck and broke the bones in an easy snap. Her cries of pain were lost in the water, something Darquesse knew never to do. Show the pain to your torturer. The flames were fluid, like water and ran over Darquesse's body spreading to Marina, her skin caught the fire. Her gloopy, pale green skin was scorched right off her. She was frozen to her, Darquesse let out a bark of laughter as the other heartbroken women Marina had lured to her lake paused meters away, hovering in the water like floating corpses. They waited for Darquesse to turn on them.<br>The flames lit up everything around Darquesse as she arched her back, pulsing out. She propelled Marina backwards through the water and watched as her body sunk to the bottom of the lake, into the dreary lake beneath her. The others were terrified and tried to swim away but were caught in the harsh beam of Darquesse. She would not let them go without a fight. As she floated her eyes turned black, burning black shadows pierced everyone around her and they disintegrated into nothing. With a smile on her face she leisurely floated to the surface, lazily kicking with her feet as the bone dust of the mermaid like creatures descended to the bed like Marina had done before them.  
>Skulduggery's chest was heaving as he anxiously waited for Darquesse to return. Dexter and Saracen waited beside him saying nothing. They didn't need to say anything to comfort Skulduggery they just had to wait by his side. Saracen lent backwards slightly to catch Dexter's eye behind Skulduggery. Because Dexter was irritatingly looking the other way Saracen had to resort to kicking a rock off the ground into the back of his legs. He casually coughed to cover up the sign. Dexter and Saracen entered a staring match, glaring at each and then at Skulduggery, Saracen aimed his eyes at Dexter again to get across to him that he should do something to help Skulduggery, Dexter gestured his arms as if to say he had no idea what to do. He mouthed the words 'you do something then,' to Saracen who tried to make his glare clearer.<br>"Stop that," Skulduggery said abruptly.  
>"Stop what?" Dexter tried to ask innocently.<br>"I know exactly what you are doing."  
>"This is all your fault Dexter," Saracen accused folding his arms in a huff.<br>"Why is it always my fault Saracen?" Dexter retaliated, his voice verging on whining. "It was you who kicked a rock at me. What are you a twelve year old girl?"  
>"I said don't call me that!"<p>

"Gentlemen," Skulduggery interrupted calmly. They silenced before they heard a groan from behind them, Dexter turned to see Sanguine waking up. He strode over to him punched him in the face and he was out like a light again.  
>Just after Saracen suggested that Dexter volunteer himself to stick his head in the lake and take a look, earning him another glare from Dexter, the surface of the lake began to ripple and bubble. To Skulduggery's relief Darquesse began to rise. Her head broke the surface the dark hair slick to her head and face. Her lips were blue and they all noticed that her eyes were black, her skin was ripped to shreds and she was grinning as she emerged completely from the water. She stood on the surface meeting eyes with Skulduggery. As she walked forward, each step meeting the water like it was concrete, her wounds began to heal, the shadows wrapped around her and repaired her clothes and once she made it to the edge her eyes had gone back to normal. Skulduggery held out his hand which she took and stepped onto the grass.<br>"Are you okay?" he asked, looking over her body for any more signs of pain.  
>"Yes," she replied. Skulduggery raised his hand and laid it on her shoulder. Darquesse watched him intently as he rubbed the material between his fingers. He let out a slow breath, tilting his skull to the side.<br>"The last time you ended up in a lake you couldn't do that by yourself." He commented casually.  
>"A lot has happened since then," she replied.<br>"Like you, for example being able to kill whatever was down there, I'm assuming."  
>"You assume correctly." Skulduggery couldn't decide if she had done the right thing or not, one thing he did know was that Darquesse was most definitely brutal in the manner she dealt with the lake. He would get out of her what was down there and what she did, but for now they needed to return.<br>"What was down there?" Saracen asked intrigued.  
>"You probably don't want to know." With that she strode away in the direction of the Bentley leaving the three men staring in her wake.<br>Skulduggery caught up to Darquesse without much effort and he took her hand quickly leading her to the Bentley, Dexter picked Sanguine up again and lifted him onto his shoulders trying to ignore the chuckling from his friend who had stayed behind with him to watch the show. Dexter tried pushing him but Saracen stepped away quickly causing Dexter to grumble and sharply chase after him, following the laughs that were sprinting away. Dexter dumped Sanguine in the boot of the Bentley and jumped in the passenger seat next to Skulduggery. It was decided since he was the tallest of them all and needed the leg room.

Dexter and Saracen talked none stop about the good old days on the way back to China's cave. Darquesse listened to their stories with glee, she loved hearing about the Dead Men and how they fought in the most dangerous of situations but most of them always returning. Skulduggery remained silent throughout the journey.  
>"I knew you would be okay." Saracen said to Darquesse pulling her from her intense gaze out of the window, their stories having become more like background noise and she slipped into her own thoughts the more hours they were on the road.<br>"You did?" He nodded with a smug, yet compassionate grin on his face.  
>"Because, you know things." It wasn't a question. She looked over his aurar, it was dancing around him. Saracen saw her scrutinizing him.<br>"You know don't you?" She answered his question with a smile. Dexter looked utterly confused and jokingly offended, him half turned in his seat with his chin laid on the top. Skulduggery merely made a slight inclination with his head but said nothing.  
>"How?" Saracen asked genuinely curious.<br>"Yeah how?" Dexter badgered. "I've known Saracen for a very long time and I've never been able to get it out of him." Darquesse smiled once again.  
>"I can sense magic, I can see it all around you. It's hidden to everyone but me. Just like Skulduggery's is, but I can see and touch it. Even manipulate it if I wanted to." Saracen's eyebrows shot up.<br>"Don't worry. I have never done that, I just can."

They were only a few hours away from their final destination and it was approaching dawn. Dexter had fallen asleep after he clambered in the back complaining about being tired. Saracen was getting annoyed every time Dexter's head fell onto his shoulder. After pushing his head away a few times and it not really doing anything, he gave up. Saracen couldn't help watching Skulduggery and Darquesse from behind.  
>"So, Darquesse," Saracen said. "What other powers do you have?"<br>"I don't have a specific power I can just doing anything I want. But starting as an elemental and progressing to Necromancy largely influenced the way my magic developed." Darquesse said not looking back to see him.  
>"See doesn't that sound an awful lot like Argeddion to you Skulduggery?"<br>"It does indeed Saracen, but Darquesse has had time to explore her powers and control them. Argeddion did not."  
>"Who's Argeddion?" Darquesse asked curiously.<br>"Just some psycho who knew his true name, went crazy and tried to create an equal relationship between mortals and sorcerer's. Gave unstable and extremely corruptible powers to three teenagers who went on a killing spree." Dexter answered groggily finally waking up from all of Saracen's constant nudges.  
>"How did you stop him?" Darquesse asked getting more interested by the minute.<br>"I used a specific pattern of strobe lights and managed to make him fall into a seizure." Skulduggery replied.  
>"That actually worked?" She asked surprised.<br>"It did." Darquesse just nodded not saying another word. She wondered as she went back to looking out of the window and the conversation fell into a comfortable silence, if Skulduggery had thought about using that technique on her. Of course she knew it wouldn't work on her, Valkyrie had been engulfed by her and nothing short of a miracle had any hope of bringing her back.  
><em>Are you sure about that?<br>_She frowned furiously at the minuscule voice vibrating in her head. She was lost in thought the entire way back. Skulduggery would subtly glance over at her, she didn't know if he was concerned about her or was he checking to make sure she was still there and he wasn't dreaming.  
>The sun was peaking above the trees when she recognised the cliff side that contained China's hidden cave through the foliage. Skulduggery was driving the Bentley parallel to cliff, surprising the Bentley didn't do a bad job off-road, the rocks flashed past the windows. The cliff was beginning to slope where it turned sharply on to the waterfall covering the entrance. Darquesse looked over to Skulduggery and caught his attention.<br>"Drive into the cliff." Darquesse said as if it was the most normal thing in the world to say.  
>"I'm sorry?<strong>" <strong>Skulduggery said.  
>"Drive into the rocks- head on." Darquesse repeated.<br>"What are you trying to pull?" Dexter grilled leaning up in his seat, alerting his body.  
>"Just do it." Without replying or warning Skulduggery yanked the steering wheel to the left towards the clear wall of rock. Saracen screamed like a twelve year old girl as the Bentley flew into and through the bluff. The Bentley landed with minor damage but plenty of rock dust in the entrance cavern China had led them through when they first arrived, skidding to a swift stop.<br>"How did we do that?" Dexter asked utterly amazed and somewhat shook up, he was feeling his body to make sure he was ok, Saracen caught him and raised his eyebrow at him. They got out of the car and started walking deeper into the cavern.  
>"I learnt it from Sanguine." Darquesse shrugged.<br>"Of course." Skulduggery nodded. Dexter started laughing anxiously although he did his best to hide it.  
>"Couldn't Argeddion do the same thing?" Saracen looked to Skulduggery for the answer.<br>"Yes he could, he only had to be in contact with another person to acquire their power. Very handy it would seem." Darquesse couldn't resist bearing her teeth for a breath-taking smile which she aimed over her shoulder at Skulduggery. Skulduggery followed her down the spiral steps that lead towards the living interior of the cave. Saracen tugged on Dexter's arm to hold him back for a few seconds. He nodded towards Darquesse and Skulduggery.  
>"I think we had better keep an eye on those two." He warned with a smirk.<br>"Why?" Dexter asked looking down to his friend with a confused expression.  
>"I have a feeling." Dexter rolled his eyes and tutted.<br>"Just a feeling? What happened to _knowing_ things?" Dexter mocked and laughing at him.  
>"I don't know everything, just some things, now stop being an idiot Dexter. I'm serious." Saracen fumed.<br>"Ok fine. Why do you think we need to watch them again?" Dexter struggled to hide his laughter that was continuing to heave his chest.  
>"You can't tell me you can't feel the sexual tension from here. How Skulduggery was ready to dive into that lake after her without a second thought, he listened to her when she said to drive into the cliff."<br>"It has been quite clear over the years that he only has eyes for Valkyrie."  
>"Darquesse <em>is <em>Valkyrie," Saracen stated.  
>"Hardly. She kills people without having to think about it. I doubt Skulduggery would fall for a psycho killer. Plus you never met Valkyrie, she was nothing like Darquesse. She was actually a very lovely girl, more than a match for Skulduggery. I could tell straight away."<br>"You would be surprised at the types of things people connect and bond over. People who have large psychological things in common are drawn to one another more profusely."  
>"Are you saying Skulduggery is a psycho killer?" Dexter cocked his eyebrow, they shared a serious look before both he and Saracen laughed heartily together.<p>

Once they were back Darquesse slipped past everyone to the gym Skulduggery assumed, she didn't know Dexter and Saracen enough to join in with the reminiscing, and Clyro was nowhere to be seen. Darquesse headed down towards the training expanse where she could hear bangs coming from a head of her.  
>Ghastly, Tanith and Fletcher had still not returned from deactivating their hotspot but Anton Shudder had turned up at the cave. China took less than five minutes to temporarily take down her security, meet Anton in the entrance and raise the defences again. He was waiting in China's personal lounge when Skulduggery entered with Dexter and Saracen, Darquesse walking straight past her not even sparing her a glance.<br>"Anton it's pleasant to see you." Skulduggery said as Anton stood up to shake his hand.  
>"I would have preferred we reunite under better circumstances but it is good to see you too Skulduggery."<br>"Saracen, Dexter. Glad you're not dead" Anton greeted.  
>"Charming," Dexter replied.<br>"I'm assuming The Midnight Hotel has been taken care of." Skulduggery said keeping his eyes on Anton.  
>"You are correct." Anton confirmed nodding his head. "It is locked up permanently and grounded to Ireland. I've also left invisibility sigils to conceal it while I'm gone which I'm sure will be an effective defence system."<br>"Remember that time in London with the chickens and that Sigel you created yourself?" Dexter chuckled through his words. The men shared a laugh, even Skulduggery couldn't help remembered the disastrous yet hilariously situation Anton had got himself into on one of their missions as Dead Men. They didn't notice China had stood up and joined them, she subtly stepped in behind Skulduggery's shoulder.  
>"I hate to break up this wonderful, I'm sure, reunion but don't you think we should waste as little time as possible in trying to find out who blew up the Sanctuary and where they are? I am utterly disgusted to admit it but this country is pretty much in chaos without them. Ghastly just called, his phone has been ringing off the hook from people who don't know what to do. They think we are under attack and are acting like useless idiots. Some things never change around here."<br>"You are right China." Skulduggery said. "That is why we have brought back a lead."  
>"A lead? What is it?" Skulduggery and Saracen looked to Dexter.<br>"Er Dexter..." Saracen said. "Where is it?" Dexter's hands shot to his chest and continued to pat down his pockets frantically as his eyes grew wide.  
>"Oh crap."<br>"How could you lose it?" Saracen whined half amused.  
>"Ah, I didn't." Dexter pivoted on the spot and casually walked to the back of the room then looking over his shoulder with a sheepish look and jogged down the steps. He returned shortly afterwards carrying a lump on his back, he let it fall off his shoulders in front of China without attempting to catch it.<br>"Did you just dump it on the floor?" Skulduggery quizzed, Dexter just shrugged his shoulders.  
>"My shoulder was hurting."<br>"Ok." Skulduggery nodded happy with Dexter's answer.  
>China was staring down at the heap in confusion.<br>"That is Billy-Ray Sanguine." She said pointing to him by only moving her index finger.  
>"We know." Replied Saracen.<br>"Why did you bring him here?" China shrieked.  
>"Because he is part of the plan. When we got to Lake Marina he was already there and he mentioned he had been working on this plan for a long time. So we brought him back to interrogate him." Skulduggery summarised.<br>"Well I have some prison cells a few sub-levels below this floor. We can keep him there." China stated. Skulduggery turned to her slowly.  
>"Now why would you need prison cells in a place like this? Are you expecting anyone to get past your defences?" He asked coldly.<br>"A girl has to take care of herself and prepare for any sticky situation she might find herself in. I thought you of all people Skulduggery, would understand." Skulduggery didn't reply as they all followed China into the unknown sub-levels of her mysterious cavern city.  
>The deeper they descended the darker and colder their surroundings got. The small glows on the wall were only dim and grey and created a ghostly passageway. The dampness was overwhelming and Saracen was all too glad to finally come to China's personalised dungeon. Thick, spiked bars forced their way through the grotty ceiling and forced into the ground to form small cells, like compartments barely big enough for a person. China moved over to one of the stone pillars that separated each cell and ran her hand down it, the bars moved aggressively and opened allowing Dexter to dump Sanguine inside. Sanguine was the only prisoner to occupy a cell but Skulduggery wasn't too sure that he was the first. This corridor was empty but he knew China would have more somewhere.<br>"Should we wait until he wakes up? Dexter asked sheepishly again.  
>"God no." Skulduggery said. He lifted his hand and pointed it at Sanguine. A shot of cold water sprayed from his hand like a hose and drenched Sanguine. He jolted awake and jumped to his feet rigidly. Not realising his surrounding he smashed his head into the stone above him and he was out again.<br>"That didn't quite work as well as I intended it to." Admitted Skulduggery.

When Darquesse entered the gym it looked like a bombsite. Blue and Gabriel were helping James manipulate the air, he was throwing the debris across the room, almost like a bullet. Gabriel was stood behind James saying words of encouragement in his ear and Blue was cheering every time he did well. Darquesse stood back by the door just to watch them and to study how they used their powers. It looked like Tanith and Fletcher were too preoccupied with The Acid Battery and containing the hotspots to focus solely on the inexperienced of the group. She had heard from Blue that lately Tanith had been so wrapped up in planning her and Ghastly's wedding to train them like she should have been. All the kids understood but her lack of attention might cost them their lives. Darquesse didn't know why she cared so much. She never really cared about anyone else but something inside her, something she was trying to ignore, was saying to her that she might want her old life back. If only she could slip back into it that easy.  
>Darquesse felt at least this way they would learn some serious mojo to protect themselves from the majority of enemies and help the others with the fight. Plus she didn't want to be in the same room as China. Her face alone was grating on her nerves and she didn't know if her self-control would last much longer around her.<br>James managed to make a metal pole, about the length of a bath levitate in the air a few inches and slowly sway from side to side.  
>"You are doing so great!" Gabriel cheered next to him. Blue was clapping all over again but her claps slowed when she saw James's face. He was frowning and his body was shaking, after a few more seconds the pole clattered to the floor.<br>"I can't do it." James spoke sadly. Gabriel saw the look in his little brother's eyes, he knelt down on the floor in front of him and settled his hands on his shoulders.  
>"Listen to me, you <em>can<em> do this and you can't deny it because you just did. You can't expect to be the best in your first attempts. It takes practise remember?" James nodded slightly and then was nudged by Gabriel who sent him a huge beam. James couldn't help but reciprocate and they shared a heartfelt hug before James started trying to levitate the pole again. Darquesse smiled, James was still only young, younger then she was when she first started using magic. At least he had an older brother that took care of him and loved him.  
>Suddenly a strangled high-pitched scream came from above, when she looked up she saw Shining hanging from the metal platform suspended from the roof with his fingers. Saskia was laughing as she stood on the platform failing to help him up, he was too heavy for her arm and her giggles were getting out of control.<br>Darquesse walked through the remnants of what was a highly equipped training gym, even for the supernatural.  
>"Hey," she shouted up to Shining and Saskia. Darquesse startled Shining and he lost his grip through the metal grills. He began to fall rapidly until Darquesse outstretched her hand and he stopped.<br>"Ouch," moaned Shining. "Could you be a bit gentler, that hurts my nads." The rest of the group laughed.  
>"Sorry," Darquesse apologised. "But can I ask what exactly you are doing? I'm pretty sure Skulduggery never wanted you to die by falling from the roof while training." Shining was straining as he hovered in the air.<br>"We were trying to fly like you do." Saskia shouted from the metal platform.  
>"Well… you won't be able to just decide on a power you like and do it. You have to practise and build up to it. The stages that come before must be second nature to you."<br>She turned and held out her hand to James. His eyes widened and he shook his head slightly.  
>"It's okay, don't worry. Just catch him." James exchanged looks with Gabriel who gave him an encouraging smile. Gabriel patted his shoulder and urged him to go to Darquesse.<br>When James stopped next to her he outstretched his hand like she did.  
>"Just like you were doing before you have to feel the links and connections in the air. Imagine yourself pushing them and they interlock and move at your will. Just think it and feel it." She instructed.<br>James dipped his head, she saw the fight build within him and when he was ready she pulled her hand away. Shining went plummeting to the ground.  
>"Ahhh! Help! Someone catch me." He exclaimed. Darquesse put her hand out and he jolted barely a foot from the floor.<br>"Can I get down please?" Darquesse saw that he had turned pale either from the height or from the momentum.  
>"Sorry Shining, of course." She laid him down gently on the floor where he stayed for a few minutes while his stomach stopped churning.<br>"Okay James I would say catch me, but you know I have my own power that could come to my rescue the minute you stopped concentrating so…" She grabbed Gabriel away from James and levitated into the air with him. She rose above where Shining was hanging and nearly collided with the ceiling. James was shouting for her to bring him back down, the others all shared the same seriously concerned look. They still didn't trust her fully and always thought any attempt she made to help them was just a trick to try and kill them. She was just going to have to be persistent. Saskia was still on the platform waiting to do something the moment Darquesse did something.  
>"Now James, when I drop Gabriel, catch him, okay?" She yelled down to him.<br>"What? I couldn't even stop Shining and you think I can catch Gabriel. He's falling from a higher place, please bring him down."  
>"Don't psych yourself out James."<br>"He can't do it," Gabriel whispered to her. "If this is your plan to kill me please don't make my little brother feel guilty for it. It would destroy him."  
>"Gabriel, I am not trying to kill you. You all need to get better at using your powers and since we don't have time to let you gradually gain more control over them you need motivation. If James thinks you are in danger he will want to save you with every fibre of his being. If he can't do it the first time then I will save you, okay?"<br>Gabriel nodded slowly.  
>"But only the first time," and then she dropped him. She knew it would work and just before he met the hardwood floor he became immobile. James had his hand held out, he was straining, and it was taking all his energy to keep Gabriel in the air. Darquesse floated down next to him. The rest had gathered around him excluding Saskia who was climbing down the metal ladder from the platform, so they moved to let Darquesse through. She knelt by him and looked into his eyes.<br>"Imagine Gabriel is a feather sat in the middle of your palm. With a feather you don't grip it or feel the weight of it at all. Gabriel is being held by the air but he's not hanging in the air. He's resting on a block of air that interlinks with the one below it and the one below that. Don't push yourself to keep him up there, just hold him, like you would a feather in your hand." James was focused on Darquesse, she saw the moment he understood in his eyes and Gabriel floated down to the ground gently. James' body went slack as the relief washed over him. He stopped shaking and ran up to Gabriel and bear-hugged him.  
>"Excellent James." Darquesse said as she beamed at him. The rest gathered around James cheering, Gabriel came in and scooped him into a bear hug. They all ran off trying to take on board what Darquesse had said, attempting to lift smaller things off the ground first, and thinking differently about how they used their magic. Darquesse definitely believed that maybe there was still hope for the world.<br>She wandered over to a built in cupboard in the wall and opened it to a very large and expensive stereo system. From the controls on the front Darquesse assumed China had this thing wired through-out her entire cave. This made her smile wildly as she started running through the songs that were on the small screen in the centre of the stereo system.  
>Blue Dolphin came bounding over when she saw Darquesse looking through CD's.<br>"What are you looking for?" she asked.  
>Darquesse handed a few discs to her and then picked up some more and started flipping.<br>"I'm looking for some good tunes with slamming beats and sick mixes as you young people say." Blue started laughing with an almost sympathetic look.  
>"Yeah we don't say that." Darquesse frowned.<br>"You don't?"  
>"Not at all. Ever."<br>"Are you sure?"  
>"Quite."<br>"I must be getting really old then." Darquesse said shrugging to herself.  
>"Oh. Well…at least you're not as old as China." Both Darquesse and Blue cackled at the thought of the joke being funnier because it was true.<br>"And I'm prettier too," Darquesse joked.  
>"Much prettier." Blue couldn't help giggling again. Then her eyes lit up when she saw a particular song on the small screen.<br>"Oh my god, I can't believe she has this on here." Blue shouted to the others while Darquesse read the title of the song. She had never heard it before but that was no surprise. She had spent most of the last seven years not listening to music.  
>Blue went to press the play button as Darquesse read the title out loud.<br>_"What does a fox say?" _Her eyes widened as the music started. Saskia and blue started in fits of laughter at her face. Even Gabriel let out a quiet laugh. Shining was smiling, and then he took Gabriel by surprise by putting him in a headlock to carry on their wrestling match. James was laughing at Darquesse then started laughing even harder at Shining and his brother tumbling over the floor making noises not dislike high pitched whimpers.  
>As the music played Darquesse's hunch was indeed right, it was being projected all around the caverns.<br>She listened to the song, it was silly of course but it was catchy and the way it brought the smiles out on their faces, she knew that music was going to play a lot bigger part in helping them get better.

"Right! I am _not _waiting any longer. I am waking him up." Dexter said impatiently as he tried to pace in the awkwardly small place, it really just made him look like he was clucking like a chicken.  
>"Wow. This takes me back," Saracen commented. "Dexter failing to live up to the expectations of a man." Anton chuckled as the sounds of Sanguine waking up grew louder and louder. He rubbed his head a few times with both hands, since they were still in cuffs and groaned a bit more before sitting up slightly and looking at his captors.<br>"Oh for the love of hell. Not you people again." He let himself slump back down to the floor.  
>"Sanguine. We need to ask you some questions. As you can probably tell you cannot go anywhere so you might want to start talking." Skulduggery said in full interrogation mode.<br>"I'm afraid I can't do that skeleton," Sanguine insulted as he struggled to stand.  
>"Can't? Or won't?" Anton interjected stepping forward slightly.<br>"Of course it's won't. I _could_ physically tell you but then I would end up dead very soon."  
>"You <em>will<em> be dead soon if you don't tell us." Skulduggery threatened.  
>"I'm sorry I really am," Sanguine sarcastically apologised not taking Skulduggery seriously at all. "But my boss is way more scary than you. So if you wouldn't mind letting me go." He started to walk towards them and out of the cell before he was pushed forcefully back into the cell by Dexter.<br>"Sorry, that isn't going to happen, arse-hole." Said Dexter.  
>"Is there any need for the abuse? I'm just an ordinary man going about his business and you keep targeting me. I hoped you had all been at the Sanctuary when the thing went up."<br>"Your business involves a plan to take over Ireland, Sanguine you and The Acid Battery are going for the hotspots for some unknown reason and not to mention the mass murder at the Sanctuary. Your business is our business." China exploded folding her arms aggressively.  
>"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you sweetheart, but I had nothing to do with blowing up the Sanctuary."<br>"Then how did you know it had been destroyed?" Counted China.  
>"I hear things." Sanguine's mocking tone was aggravating China, she didn't usually let her guard down and show her emotions but with the return of Darquesse, all her anger had been sizzling under her skin waiting for a release. Sanguine seemed the perfect victim for her to take it out on.<br>Skulduggery shook his head.  
>"Sanguine, tell us what you know, or I will have to hurt you."<br>"Oh I don' think so. But do tell me, Skulduggery... how are you feeling?" Sanguine started straightening his shoulders as if he was bracing for a fight. "You must be furious inside knowing that Valkyrie is gone for good. I mean that Darquesse, I actually couldn't believe it. Can't believe I never heard that before. Valkyrie Cain: The Skeleton Detective's protégé turns out to be the one to destroy the world. Did you ever wonder that it might have been your influence that turned her that way."  
>"You shut your mouth Sanguine," Dexter said venomously.<br>"And I thought you wanted me to talk." Sanguine smiled sinisterly. Skulduggery was standing perfectly still but he knew his words not just touched the nerves but set them on fire and cut into his soul. He felt like laughing.  
>"Skulduggery Pleasant. How could you ever think you would be anything but the end of her. You are a hateful pain in my ass and you destroy and corrupt everyone that comes close to you."<br>"How exactly would you know?" China challenged him. "You know nothing about anything."  
>"I know more than you think. Of course so do you. Weren't you the one that led Skulduggery's wife and child into the trap that killed them." He turned back to Skulduggery who still hadn't moved. The others were heaving behind him, ready to attack Sanguine at any indication. "How can you possibly be still working with her after that. Only a complete sicko could bear being in her presence. Either that or you didn't love your family very much." Sanguine didn't have time to register Skulduggery's boned fist shoot out and crumple his jaw. He was on his back, seeing stars in the flash of a second.<br>Sanguine rose slowly and heavily after a minute or two, to meet Skulduggery's eye sockets. He wiped the blood from his now torn lips with his thumb. He could taste it as it dribbled down into his lips and on his tongue. It pooled in his mouth, the taste brought forth all the anger he felt towards these people.  
>"You will never be able to control her and when she finally fulfils the prophesied the sensitive's have been seeing for years it will all be your fault. It would have been better if, in all our altercations that you would have just let me kill her. This world would be such a better place if Valkyrie Cain was dead."<br>Skulduggery turned without a word or a glance and left.  
>"I guess in a way she already is." Sanguine shouted after him just before another fist collided with his face.<p>

Darquesse stayed in the gym for hours with the others. China had come storming in complaining about the ghastly music and that she should turn it off. Darquesse simply changed tracks to a grungy, heavy metal one she knew was ear blasting and the rest laughed as China stormed out again. Darquesse eventually let them spend an hour in the pool to try and manipulate water. None of them were quite attuned to that which didn't surprise her since Valkyrie would always neglect water manipulation for the flashier two elements. Mostly she would just get Skulduggery to do it for her. The occasional splash would set them all off into a water fight that usually lasted at least twenty minutes. Darquesse decided to stay in the pool hours after the rest had gone to bed. She just couldn't turn her mind off, she was genuinely happy that she had managed to make some progress with Blue, James and the others.  
>She was no stranger to people disliking her instantly or being afraid but the more she spoke to them the more interesting she found them and the more she related to them, she was closer to their age then anyone.<br>Gabriel and James were abandoned when Gabriel was ten and James was four. The Sanctuary eventually found them after they noticed a strange rise in public fires. They were taken to a home with a nice couple to take care of them, they would still be with them if they hadn't died in a car accident a year before Darquesse met them. They had always been inseparable and this only made them closer.  
>Blue ran away from her home when she was seven, when the police found her the first time she set the policeman's beard on fire. The next time they found her- a year later they all miraculously tumbled down the long banking and landed in the river, she escaped and was never seen again by the mortal police. The Sanctuary brought her in and she too got to live with an experienced sorcerer who was powerful enough to protect her, until he was beheaded and she had to stay with Ghastly for a week or two before she got put into the programme led by Tanith and Fletcher.<br>Shining Chopper on the other hand found the Sanctuary himself, he wanted to be guided and taught and couldn't bear living with his indifferent uncle after his parents died. Ghastly could not say no to one who seemed to be a young spirited and kind boy, and the fact that he turned up in a suit he stole from his uncle made it impossible for Ghastly to refuse. Of course as soon as Shining stepped through the door the suit was torn off him so Ghastly could adjust it properly.  
>Darquesse was sure she would find it difficult to gain the trust of Valkyrie's old friends but she never thought it would be impossible. None of them had come to see or speak to her since she returned from Lake Marina. Fletcher came in briefly to gather the others but he never spared her a look. It made her smile at how much effort he actually had to muster to ignore her.<p>

Skulduggery was disappointed Darquesse never returned, even after they came back to eat. The younger ones had said they had been training with her and that it was going really well. It only started the arguments that carried on through most of the evening. Tanith and Ghastly had succeeded in deactivating their hotspot and reported no problems with Clyro Noir. However he didn't reveal any more information despite their fishing for it. As the arguing got incisively louder Ghastly felt safe talking to Skulduggery without anyone overhearing.  
>They sat in the brown leather chairs by what looked like a window but was just one of China's interior design Sigils. The view of a starry sky overlooking the beach was portrayed by the Sigel. It could have convinced anyone that they were looking through real glass and that the landscape was real. Most rooms had Sigils that did the same thing with a variety of settings to choose from, each more beautiful and serene then the last.<br>"I'm worried Skulduggery." Ghastly said.  
>"What are you worried about?"<br>"I don't want you to think that I am judging you, because believe me I'm not. I just think..."  
>"You just think what Ghastly?" Skulduggery could easily tell Ghastly was holding back and was really reluctant to bring up this topic to him.<br>"I just think... Maybe you are seeing Valkyrie in Darquesse a bit too much and that maybe you are unwisely keeping her around so you can try and change her back."  
>"Ghastly, you know I am attempting to find a way to destroy Darquesse and release Valkyrie."<br>"Yes but you have found nothing. You started looking after Valkyrie left in case she did return, but _you _the best detective I know could find nothing helpful."  
>"I did find something." Skulduggery pointed out.<br>"Angel Blood, I know. But it's a myth, you said so yourself and when Darquesse returned you resumed your search to no avail."  
>Skulduggery let out a frustrated sigh. "I have to try."<br>"I know," Ghastly replied sympathetically. "I don't want you getting hurt. That is the only reason I bring it up. You have gone through too much."

The pool was glorious, each length of wall was concealed by a huge Sigel creating a spectacular view on three sides of the room. The scene it submerged Darquesse in was the same beach Skulduggery and Ghastly spoke by. The cool, blue sky was scorched with rays of pink and sharp sprays of orange. The light breeze swayed the palm trees and the gentle waves rolled up the shore. As she swam the entire length of the pool she felt someone enter. She felt the air ripple even through the water and when her head broke the surface she had to hold back her beaming grin that would have erupted all over her face.  
>"Skulduggery, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She watched him stand motionless at the side of the pool, he was booted and suited for mission outside the cave.<br>"There is one more hotspot we need to visit, would you like to accompany me?" His tone was genuine. She contemplated his skull beneath the fedora, she wondered when the rest would try and get rid of her. It would be completely predictable of them to send Skulduggery to either kill her or lead her somewhere to die. Looking at his body language and stance she didn't believe he was here to kill her, so she waded to the edge of the pool where Skulduggery was stood.  
>Taking the ledge she pulled herself out of the pool, she took a towel from the walk-in towel room and stripped off her clothes. She called to Skulduggery as he waited next to the pool.<br>"So have you all decided what you are going to do with me?"  
>"No we have not." Darquesse frowned to herself because she was surprised that even a few of them, hadn't demanded her death or at least torture yet.<br>"I have shown that I am one of greatest assets to fight this war." She stated.  
>"Yet it was you who brought this war to our attention."<br>"It doesn't mean I'm the cause, it just means I'm not wrapped up in the mediocre aspects of lives that most of you are lucky to have."  
>"Lucky? You think our lives have been lucky?" She returned from the towel room fully dressed and dried. Even though he didn't have his façade up, she could read through his perfectly still form that her last comment hit a nerve. She didn't want to argue because she knew he would not understand, none of them would.<br>"Never mind." She strode right past him intending to go straight to the Bentley that was parked in the cavern that contained the opening and waterfall. Instead of letting her walk out Skulduggery caught her arm gently and spun back into him.  
>"I know you are angry and I genuinely believe you want my help but nothing this big or important can come easily. People need time to adjust and accept the fact that you are here to stay." Darquesse looked into the gaping holes in his skull, it was strange that they always translated to her as eyes, she could tell his emotions by looking at his skull and in this moment she was confused mixed with a bit of hope.<br>"Do _you_ accept the fact that I am here to stay?" He bowed his head and was silent for a few moments. When he raised it she felt a wave of release on top of the buzzing that had started convulsing around her body.  
>"I tried so hard to not let Valkyrie go. I don't think I ever will but I accept that you are your own person and I will no longer try and resurrect something in you that is too deep and buried. I am exhausted and any part of her would be a blessing than nothing at all."<p>

They reached the next hotspot in the afternoon; the sun was still high in the sky, the air warm when it wasn't covered by clouds. Skulduggery parked the Bentley on the crumbled road, overgrown with weeds and bushes. You could tell this used to be a street full of houses. Only one remained, the rest were knocked down, some not even fully. The remains of the street were derelict, a half knocked down chimney breast still on the houses foundations could be seen a couple of hundred yards away.

The mansion looked like an old Tudor style house peeling away and suffocating through the overgrown garden. Holly wrapped itself around the wood and bricks. The air around the house was shockingly cold. Darquesse felt goose-bumps on her arms and on the back of her neck, slowly crawling down her spine. She got out of the Bentley and met Skulduggery at the large, rusty gates that stood closed between them and the footpath leading to the large and intimidating front door.  
>"So this is a magical hotspot?" she asked as Skulduggery joined her in staring at the house. "It looks like a wreck."<br>"It isn't a naturally occurring hotspot but something happened here about a hundred years ago and no-one has been able to enter since." Skulduggery said plucking the brief snippets of information from his memory.  
>"What happened?" Darquesse glanced at him sideways.<br>"No-one knows. According to records the family that lived there- The Shea's were having an engagement party for their daughter and then no one came out. Obviously some being members of the Sanctuary an investigation was enforced about their disappearance but they couldn't get into the house to talk to them. Nothing could penetrate past the gate. So what could they do?"  
>Like magic, the hefty gates Darquesse reached out her hand for, shook and swung open creating a loud cringe-worthy sound from years of none-use, before she could even touch it.<br>"Erm, try harder." Darquesse suggested as she passed through the gate and on towards the house.  
>"So what was known of The Shea family?"<br>"Not much really, Irene and her husband, Ted worked as clerks but they were very secretive even for sorcerers. They used to call this place the Ghost Mansion-,"  
>"How original."<br>"-when it was being investigated people swore they saw ghostly shapes moving past the windows late at night."

They got to the front door and Skulduggery stopped just before he was about to knock on the door. Darquesse looked at him quizzically as he slipped his hand into his collar and his façade rippled up and covered his skull. Dark brown hair erupted from his head into lovely locks one side cascading down his face to his nose. His eyes were an incredible green and as ever, his cheek bones could make you quiver. Darquesse took a moment to contain herself.  
>"Why are you activating your façade?"<br>"Well you never know who might be behind that door. I'm guessing if someone is still in their seeing a skeleton at the door might cause an unwanted reaction." Skulduggery said smoothly.  
>"I see." She paused. "How did you get your façade to cover your whole body anyway?" Noticing that his body had grown muscle and flesh and was a delightful mix of athletically fit and sexily lanky.<br>"China extended the Sigel on my collarbone." Skulduggery answered.  
>"Why did she do that?" Darquesse's tone anything but friendly.<br>"She thought I might need it one day." Skulduggery said purposefully choosing to keep his tone light as if he never noticed hers.  
>"Yeah, I bet she did." Darquesse folded her arms tightly. Skulduggery let out a little chuckle through his closed lips earning him a scolding look from Darquesse and knocked on the door. When no-one answered Darquesse tutted and rolled her eyes.<p>

"What did you expect? After a near century I doubt anyone is living in there."  
>"You're right," Skulduggery reached for the door handle and once he turned it, the door opened effortlessly and silently. They moved into the dark, narrow foyer.<br>A shiver slithered its way down Darquesse's spine again causing her senses to be heightened and on edge, her whole body was on alert.  
>"So let's get done what we need to get done and get out of here." Darquesse suggested, a shrill tremor to her voice.<br>"You're not afraid are you?" Skulduggery asked almost letting out another chuckle.  
>"No! I am not scared, I... I just hate haunted houses." She said finally.<br>"I remember," Skulduggery said quietly, almost to himself.  
>Darquesse glared at the dark and her eyes adjusted. Shapes began to appear more quickly. She figured Skulduggery probably couldn't see as well as her, not anymore anyway. So she clicked her fingers and threw a rolling, forming ball of fire into the air to guide the way.<br>"Let's check that door." Skulduggery said heading towards the foyer's only door at the end.  
>Skulduggery stopped just before the door, the foyer was so narrow and tight that because Darquesse was right behind him, she walked straight into his back with a huff.<br>"Can you hear that?" Skulduggery whispered. He lent his ear against the door, Darquesse concentrated too. It sounded like music was being played from the other side of the door. It was old and had the faint melodies of Jazz.  
>Both Skulduggery and Darquesse spun when they heard a snap behind them, but instead of someone coming up behind them like they thought, they saw the whole house had transformed behind them as if it was the nine-teen twenties. Darquesse's leather trousers and figure hugging top melted away into a midnight blue dress that twirled to her knees, with black lace layered over the top and sparkly tassels. Darquesse looked at herself in confusion, when she turned to face Skulduggery, she jumped back slightly. His black suit had transformed into a slate coloured one with sky blue lining, a tie and ribbon on his fedora. His façade had changed into a different face without Skulduggery pressing his sigil.<p>

"What the hell," Darquesse complained. She looked over Skulduggery's façade; he had ashy blonde hair and startling grey eyes that were trained on her. She had noticed the first time she saw Skulduggery activate his façade that it had improved a lot when she returned, but it still had a slight waxy sheen. But his face now looked just as flesh and bone as hers did.

"I think you better look in the mirror." Skulduggery said. Darquesse turned to a small, white mirror that was hung on the wall behind her. A strained squeak left her mouth, she spluttered as she got a closer look at her face, because it wasn't her face at all. Going inside the house not only changed Skulduggery's façade but activated one on her. Her hair was a dark blonde and her eyes were a hazel brown, her face was round and sweet but her eyes lacked that sparkle.

Skulduggery looked over her new look as she just gawked in the mirror.  
>"Come on, the only way to find out why this is happening is to see it through. You ready?" When Darquesse reluctantly nodded he turned the handle and pushed, the door opened centimetres before it was snatched from Skulduggery's grasp. On the other side was a petite, mousy looking woman in a black awkward dress and white piny. Her hand was still clutching the door handle opposite from the one Skulduggery had held and she was staring at them in which could only be perceived as annoyance.<br>"Who the fu-" Darquesse began before she was cut off.  
>"It's about time," the woman in black said in an irritated manner. "Why are you late to absolutely everything?" The woman yanked on Darquesse's arm pulling her up the stairs just past the foyer. The music was louder and coming from the room with closed French doors across the hallway. Darquesse was being dragged off in the opposite direction.<br>"Excuse me?" was all she got out before the older woman cut her off again.  
>"Oh don't sound so scorned, you are always late, you know it infuriates your mother." She stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned to Skulduggery.<br>"Gregory, come on. No more wasting time." Skulduggery pointed to himself as if to say 'who me?' before following the woman who was pulling Darquesse up the stairs. Once on the first floor the woman led a confused Darquesse and Skulduggery to a smaller set of stairs at the end of the corridor, the steps creaked under their weight. The woman pulled open the door at the top and pushed them both in.  
>"Now get ready. Your mother said, wear the red one. You have half an hour." She left without another word.<br>"Ok, seriously what is going on, _Gregory?"_ Skulduggery cocked his eyebrow at her, to Darquesse's amusement.  
>"You never partied in the early nineteen hundreds." Skulduggery said mockingly.<br>"Funnily enough, I'm not that old."  
>Skulduggery started wondering around the room while Darquesse sat down on the cushioned bench under the window. The sky was dark outside, the total opposite of the sun they had been bathed in when they got here. The street looked like it had been restored, fully lit up and beautifully finished houses went all the way to the end of the road.<br>"So have you figured anything out yet?" Darquesse asked expectantly.  
>"Like what?"<br>"Well who was that woman? Why did she bring us up here? Why did this whole street change like some magical time loop? Why did your façade change? And who the hell am I supposed to be?"  
>Skulduggery went to the large and elaborate dressing table, it was decorated with hand carved roses and vines with delicately written letter hanging from the leaves. The top was splayed a whole clutter of girl things, golden clips and a variety of make-up, jewellery that shimmered in the light.<br>"You're right, this is a new one. Everything must be tied with what happened here. It seems like we might be re-living that night." Before he could say anymore the mousey woman returned. Her cheeks were flushed and she was panting.

"Miss, you haven't moved. The celebration will be starting soon." She rushed over to Darquesse and shoved her behind a wooden room partition where a long, deep red silk dress was hung up waiting to be worn. "Mistress will be so angry. _Lucy_ she says, _make sure Lee-Anne is down on time, make sure she doesn't spoil this night like she always does,_ she says. Now get dressed!"  
>"Celebration?" Darquesse asked as she started to undress.<br>"Yes of course. Your engagement party to Nathanial," Darquesse peeped around the partition and shared a look with Skulduggery still on the opposite side of the room.  
>"You will be the first girl in the Shea family to unite two very powerful, magical families. The Shea's' and the Crofts.<br>"I'm sorry… Lucy" Darquesse said, thanking Lucy inwardly for saying her own name in her little frantic spat, so Darquesse didn't have to ask her and look stupid. "I'm just feeling a little nervous." The look of alarm melted away from her face quickly.  
>"I know, I can tell. That's why your mother just said as I was down there that Gregory can stay up here to calm you down. You know he would never usually be allowed up here, especially since you are meant to get engaged tonight."<br>"Right," Darquesse said slowly. "Is that why you nearly pulled my arm out of its socket dragging me up here?"  
>"You know how impatient your mother gets when you are late. Which let's be honest, is all the time." Darquesse scowled at Lucy but she was too busy flitting around the room getting the rest of Darquesse's outfit ready for the night. "Plus you know she doesn't like you and Gregory spending so much time together. There have been talks about you two being too close to just be friends."<br>"Which is what we are, just friends." Darquesse said trying to play the part of Lee-Anne, at least this Lucy was babbling and information was just spilling out of her mouth, it would make it easier for her and Skulduggery to figure out what actually went on in this house.  
>"You're going to have to be more convincing than that, Lee-Anne." Darquesse scowled at her, her acting skills were fine.<br>Lucy had barely looked at Skulduggery since they arrived so he was able to slip out of the room without her noticing. He caught eyes with Darquesse before he left, she nodded when she realised he was going to take a look around. Lucy only detected his absence when the door clicked shut behind him.  
>"Why are you so against him? We have never done anything to fuel these rumours." Darquesse guessed, even if she was wrong who cares? She could kill this woman in a second before she thought something strange was going on.<br>"No, but you spend more time with him than you do with Nathanial, I think it emasculates him sometimes. You really should cut all ties with Gregory, Lee-Anne, for your families sake."  
>"Why?" Darquesse asked, narrowing her eyes at Lucy through the mirror of the dressing table she had been shoved in front of. Lucy was quickly styling her hair into a loose, wavy bun that framed her face with sandy curls and blood-red pins that she clipped into her hair.<p>

"Because no-one understands why you need him so much. In a few months you and Nathanial will be married and there just won't be room for him in your life."  
>"Says who?" Darquesse snapped.<br>"Says your mother," Lucy answered too quickly.  
>"My mother?" Lucy spluttered wishing she could shove the words back into her mouth.<br>"We don't have much longer, you should finish up." Lucy left in a hurry nearly banging her shoulder into the door as she rushed out. Darquesse looked at the dress, she didn't like this red, and it made her look like a seductress. She preferred to look dangerous. She let her shadows spread through the dress turning it a shimmering black, the clips in her hair too. Only her lipstick remained a wine stained red. This wacky reality had stolen her gauntlet, it disappeared with the rest of her clothes in the transformation but at least she had slipped on her necromancy ring before entering the house and slipped it off when Lucy grabbed her for the first time. Her ring was too strongly connected with her to be taken away as part of the transformation. It was a part of her more than any other tool, and her bra, where she hid it didn't change so that could have been a reason too.

Darquesse looked around the room of the girl it belonged to. If she wanted to get out of here, which she did because it was oddly disturbing looking at herself in the mirror and not seeing her own face. No, all she could see was a young, blonde haired girl with brown exhausted eyes, which could only have been caused by her family. Which the more she heard about them, the more she thought were the cause of Lee-Anne's unhappy life. Or was she un-happy? It's what Darquesse had to find out.

"Now if I was carrying on with my best friend behind my parent's back then I'm guessing I would feel some sort of guilt, and with no-one to talk to about it then I would probably write it down." She began looking under the pillows of the large bed, pulling the sheets up and checking under the mattress too. She found a small white, leather bound diary underneath. "Typical."

She flicked through it scanning the pages. Each page was filled with an elegant scrawl all Lee-Anne's rambling about her love for Gregory. At the back were a few letters that fell out from between the pages onto Darquesse's lap. She read through Gregory's letters he had given to Lee-Anne, it was clear that they wanted to be together and that the Shea's, especially her mother: Irene did everything in their power to thwart them. Lee-Anne had become miserable. The last letter written by Gregory detailed a plan he had for them to be together forever.  
>Skulduggery returned, Darquesse stood and handed him the diary and letters.<br>"It seems that Lee-Anne and Gregory are one of these couples that struggle to be together so decided to run away together, after they proved to everyone they wanted to be with each other."  
>"I see," Skulduggery said reading through the pages.<br>"Look at the last letter, Gregory wrote his plan at the end of it."  
>Lucy came bustling back in and let out an undignified squawk when her eyes landed on Darquesse's now black dress.<br>"Why have you changed? I told you, your mother wanted you to wear the red one!"  
>"I want to wear this one." Darquesse said blankly.<p>

"Well tough," Lucy said rushing forward holding out her hands ready to grab the dress and rip it off Darquesse.  
>A strong hand whipped out and caught Lucy's wrist, she stopped suddenly and looked up at Darquesse. She glanced back and forth between her wrist being caught in Darquesse's hand and her face that had turned into a frightening stare that turned Lucy's insides cold.<br>"Get lost." Lucy started to fluster and eventually Darquesse shoved her away from her.  
>"Lee-Anne!" A shrill voice sliced through the air from downstairs. "Downstairs! Now!" Lucy glanced at Darquesse, her expression clearly that of fear and frustration.<br>"That was your Mother Lee-Anne," Lucy badgered in a tone nowhere near as demanding as before. "You must go to her now." Darquesse stood and inspected herself in the mirror and smiled when Lucy sighed in irritation behind her. As she looked at Lee-Anne's reflection she longed to see herself. It was an unsettling feeling looking at yourself in the mirror and seeing a different face look back at you. Darquesse froze for a second as her reflection seemed to double. Her outline became blurred and the face looking back at her had a different expression. It was that of complete and utter soul destruction. Her eyes seemed empty but of rage. All her reflection did was burn into her eyes then suddenly she let out a bone-crunching scream. Darquesse didn't flinch but she couldn't stop watching. She blinked, slowly and deliberately and when she opened them she was gone.  
>Lucy squealed at the painstakingly slow pace, her eyes quivered as she pulled the hem of her dress up to make it easier for her as she ran out of the door and down the stairs towards the voice. Skulduggery was watching her intently even with Gregory's face he had it trained well. All Darquesse could tell looking through the mirror and over her shoulder was that he knew she had just seen something.<br>"What happened?" He asked concerned.  
>Darquesse dragged her eyes away from the mirror and met Skulduggery's. She felt a chill running through her and one she didn't particularly like.<br>"I think I just saw Lee-Anne." Her voice was unusually quiet.  
>"What did she do?"<br>"Screamed in my face."  
>"Charming."<br>"I know. She's a delight."

Once Darquesse finally made it down the stairs she got a good look at Lee-Anne's Mother: Irene.  
>Irene appeared intimidating from the way her arms were crossed high across her chest and her hands tight, her foot tapped incessantly on the hardwood floor creating a sense of urgency to her waiting. Her face was scornful sheathing her beady, spider-like eyes as they aimed daggers at her daughter ludicrously taking her time. Her expression was one of irritation and a bad smell, Darquesse thought it was probably plastered on her face most of the time. Her eye's inspected Darquesse's body and after she tutted and shook her head in disapproval she hooked her claw like fingers around her arm and pulled her into the study away from the social chatter and celebrations happening in the next room.<p>

"What did I say?" she hissed closing the door quickly but quietly behind them.  
>"At your age- a lot of things, probably." Darquesse's comment rolled off her tongue before she remembered she was meant to be pretending to be someone else.<br>"Don't you dare talk that poison to me child. I am trying to save your future." Irene's ears had turned a harsh pink and her anger was causing her to shake.  
>"By doing what exactly, Mother?"<br>"By organising this engagement dinner party for you."  
>"To a man I don't love."<br>"Don't be so stupid." She spat. "And on that subject. I thought I told you not to invite _him_."  
>"Who? G… Gregory?"<br>"Yes of course Gregory. He is nothing but a trouble-maker who will ruin this entire evening."  
>"He is my best friend as it happens."<br>"Well Nathanial doesn't like him."  
>"Like I give a crap about what Nathanial likes."<br>"What is this funny language you keep sprouting. What is the matter with you?" She paused. " See I knew it was Gregory changing you, you are such a naïve child letting him control you like that." Darquesse set her jaw and tried to regain her restraint.  
>"I don't want to marry Nathanial."<br>"Of course you do."  
>"I really don't."<br>"After everything this family has done for you. The life style and the privileges, the beauty."  
>"And all I ever wanted was for you to respect my wishes."<br>The slap came out of nowhere. Darquesse was actually impressed she didn't see it coming. All of this contact with Skulduggery, trying to get into his head and incite the reactions she needed, she was actually starting to feel things and let them distract her.

Irene's slap hadn't been powerful enough to actually make Darquesse move on impact so she was left to look into her eyes. Darquesse knew this woman was a bitch but she didn't really think that she would hit her own child. The distaste and disappointment was clearly there but to resort to physical violence was only one step away from murder. A subject Darquesse knew all too much about.

Darquesse felt the sting of the slap for about a second then she absorbed it. She slowly pulled out her Necromancy Ring from her chest -her bra made a good pocket- and slipped it on her finger. She kept it for sentimental reasons really but it was definitely more practical than her gauntlet in some situations. She felt great pleasure as Irene watched her every move with nervous, fearful eyes.

The room dropped to a prickling freeze before all the power went out. Darquesse didn't need to see the woman in front of her to know how terrified she was. She took a step forward to find that someone was obstructing her target. She tried to move through the person but they felt almost too solid. The person took her hand gently so she wouldn't flinch and placed her palm over their heart. She felt the steady beat, real and comforting. A hand was placed over hers, finally the lights began to flicker and after a brief set of buzzes they came on properly. She looked up at Gregory knowing that Skulduggery was staring back at her. It wasn't much different from looking at his façade yet he seemed warmer, and stronger and with a beating heart… alive again. She didn't want to break contact and have their moment end. It did.  
>"I think I hate her." It didn't take a genius to work out Irene had scarpered as soon as she realised she wasn't dead.<br>"She isn't real. You know this is just some sort of magical time loop. The answer clearly has something to do with Lee-Anne's engagement to Nathanial and secret love for Gregory." Skulduggery summarised.  
>"So what do we do? Stop the engagement?" Darquesse asked.<br>"I suppose it's a start." Skulduggery said.  
>"Sounds like a soap."<br>"That it does."  
>Darquesse pondered thoughtfully for a moment. "You know," she started rubbing her chin. "I think this is going to be worse than spending two weeks lost in Gordon's tunnels."<br>"No-one has ever spent that long in the tunnels and survived." Skulduggery said sceptically.  
>"Correction- One person has." She replied slightly smug.<br>"And when exactly was this?" He asked smoothly. She didn't want to tell him because it had been pretty recent and after making strides in a forward direction considering their relationship, she didn't want to start going backwards.  
>They made their way to the kitchen where the waiters were bustling in and out with trays. Darquesse not so subtly pick up a glass of a lovely red cocktail and downed the whole thing. She could sense he saw right through that move.<br>"A bit of a drinker now are you?" He said in a somewhat more cheerful tone.  
>"The vodka in Russia is <em>really <em>good," she chuckled, a beam spreading across her face. "So what's the plan?"  
>"Ah yes the plan." Skulduggery said as if it was him who mentioned it in the first place.<br>"You have no idea what to do, do you?"  
>"I really don't."<p>

The dinner that Lee-Anne's mother forced them into went awfully. She tried to force Darquesse into sitting next to Nathanial and she got a horrid, distasteful look from Irene when she sat down next to fake Gregory instead. There was a set of boring toasts from Nathanial's father and Uncle Terrance, also Lee-Anne's Grandmother. Ethel was a sickly-looking woman with a snare and pursed lips that caused the observer to want to slap her. Darquesse portrayed fake smiles every time the toasted glasses were aimed at her but in the background she would always see the annoyed look on her 'mother's' face. It killed her not to laugh.

The first chance they got Skulduggery and Darquesse escaped to the kitchen again.  
>"I can tell you are used to pretending to be the quiet girl without an attitude." Skulduggery commented sarcastically. "Maybe you could try not insulting your guests so harshly next time."<br>"What? Did I say anything out of line?" Darquesse said jokingly betrayed.  
>"Well for starter's you told your 'father' to drown himself in his soup …"<br>"Ah,"  
>"… you told your 'mother' to drop dead…"<br>"Hmm."  
>"… and your fiancée to impale himself on his own gentlemen regions."<br>"Well if that's what you call harsh-"  
>"It is."<br>"Then… I have no come back."  
>Skulduggery smiled in victory. Unexpectedly Nathanial entered from the dining room.<br>When Nathanial stopped in front of them it was one of awkwardness, you could tell he was uncomfortable from the way he slid his hand through his slick hair.  
>"Gregory, I think we got off on the wrong foot. Care to join me for a cigar?" Skulduggery nodded.<br>"How could I refuse?" Nathanial offered a weak smile before turning on his heel.  
>"Be careful," were Skulduggery's last words to her.<br>She eyed Nathanial's back suspiciously as he led Skulduggery away. From Lee-Anne's diary entries, Nathanial wasn't a bad husband to be, he was just boring and too self-centred. Being the apple of his family's eye had turned him arrogant and that was something Lee-Anne didn't find attractive, she had no negative feelings for him, she just felt nothing for him. Darquesse however couldn't settle, her instincts were roaring inside of her, she shouldn't of let Skulduggery walk off with him, but he could take care of himself.

Darquesse wondered around the landing not wanting to join the party around her. She noticed the large family portrait taking up the space on a large chimney breast over a beautiful black, marble fireplace. On the fireplace were framed photographs of the Shea family members. Lee-Anne's individual portrait was last and at the end, and when Darquesse ran her finger along the top she pulled of a thick layer of dust with it. She ran the same finger over the rest, Irene's and even the cats. Spotlessly clean. It really seemed to dawn on Darquesse that Lee-Anne wasn't loved by her family at all- Maybe that is why she didn't want to marry someone she didn't love. How can someone live being miserable in every aspect of their life?

Darquesse's ears began to prickle as someone approached her from behind and before she had chance to make a subtle exit or even an obvious one, Lee-Anne's grandmother had cornered her. Ethel's balance was atrocious on her bony, twig like legs and her scowl wrapped up in layers of wrinkles and loose skin was enough to make her any child's nightmare. She looked at her through her peripheral vision.  
>"Watch it there, Grandma." Darquesse teased.<br>"Don't help me child," she scorned as she used her walking stick to balance steadily.

"Believe me, I wasn't going to." Ethel's eyes narrowed.  
>"You are a disgrace," she spat venomously flipping.<br>"You are a wrinkly old bat."  
>Ethel huffed in shock and whipped out her walking stick, catching Darquesse on the shin with a snap. Darquesse absorbed the pain and used the extra energy to transfer it through her body and to her eyes like a funnel. Her eyes turned an oily black. When she slowly turned her head her eyes glowed with a thick, sickening blackness that she could have blown Ethel to pink dust right there. She imagined her body exploding to nothing but a fine pile of pink flesh.<br>"Look at you," Ethel stammered. Her walking stick had snapped on impact with Darquesse, she used the fireplace to hold her up, her legs bound to give way at any moment. "You did not inherit this family because you deserved it. You deserve to rot in the ground with that good for nothing boy you keep consorting with, behind Nathanial's back." Ethel whipped her wiry hand in Darquesse's direction with a snort of derision before turning to slowly storm out.  
>Darquesse was in no mood to let this woman get the last word, her shadows sprung from her ring and wrapped around Ethel's leg. She was yanked to the floor with a thud and shot up with a spring to land in front of Darquesse. Darquesse placed her fingers slowly around her throat.<br>"Let me tell you something," she started as Ethel began to convulse and struggle. "You may hope for a peaceful death, surrounded by your loved ones and happy to move on to the next stage but I find myself wanting you to suffer." Ethel gasped from the lack of oxygen.  
>"I want you to die painfully and slowly all alone with no one to care for you, no one looking for you. Completely cut off." Tears streamed from Ethel's face as she snarled up at Darquesse who dropped her to the floor roughly. <em>Job done.<em>

Glancing through the small crack in the door to the dining room, Darquesse could see the rest of the guests indulging themselves. Rich, tasty desserts lathered in cream were being wheeled in on a silver trolley and cigar smoke clouded the air around them. The stench the booze made was enough to get tipsy just from the fumes. Darquesse had no desire to join them so she went in search of Skulduggery.

Darquesse made her way to the last place she had seen him, back in the kitchen Nathanial was leaning against a row of low cabinets.

"Where's Sk… Gregory?" She demanded covering her stammer smoothly. Nathanial smiled and opening his mouth to answer but before he could the door from the dining room began to open. Darquesse didn't need to look to see it was Irene, she could tell by the eye watering, throat burning perfume she was wearing. With a flick of her wrist, Darquesse sent a gush of air trained like a bullet at the door before it was completely open.  
>Looking to Nathanial and seeing the awe expression on his only amused Darquesse.<br>"Where is he?" Darquesse repeated more firmly.  
>"Who?" Nathanial asked sheepishly.<br>"Gregory."

"Oh…" He couldn't really take his eyes off the door.  
>"He went to the bathroom."<br>Darquesse raised her eyebrow slightly. Skulduggery never needed the bathroom so why would he say that? Unless he was trying to get rid of Nathanial and a smile cursed her lips.  
>"Listen, can we talk… in private?"<br>Darquesse agreed not because she cared about what Nathanial had to say but Skulduggery was obviously doing something that needed the rest of the guests distracted, which was her job. Nathanial offered Darquesse his arm as he led her to the conservatory.  
>"No thank-you," she said curtly.<br>"Please, Lee-Anne. I'm trying to apologise here." She let out a frustrated sigh and took his arm.

It was strange to look out of the windows. She could see the street how it would have been on the night of the engagement party. The streetlights were orange glows behind the wild, overgrown forestry in the grounds surrounding the house. Silhouettes were all Darquesse could see yet she knew she couldn't step one foot outside. She knew if she did they might never know what actually happened here, and whilst it was sealed off even to this day, it was creating a giant source of magical energy to could be dangerous. She had a strange sensation pool within her stomach every time she looked at the front door. She had no desire to try and open it before the night's end.

The conservatory was really beautiful. The entire length of the room was just windows each with a delicately sewn blind that portrayed an elegant swan scene. The floor was clean and polished and patterned white diamonds spread across the floor. By the arched windows was a brown, wicker sofa with white, plump cushions. They made their way past the clay potted plants that grew leaves so shiny and big they blocked all the furniture from sight until you were upon them. The faint lights from outside gave the room a lovely ambiance, one of sunset even though it was closer to midnight.  
>"I'm sorry for my behaviour," Nathanial said as they sat down. "I really am. My mother has been putting a lot of pressure on me lately for me to get you to fall in love with me. I suppose me marrying into the Shea family is really important to her." He looked down at his hands sadly. "I wanted to stand up to her more… but I didn't do a very good job." Darquesse started to feel sorry for him a bit. He was in the same position as Lee-Anne and did she so much want to show Skulduggery that she had some humanity left in her.<br>"It's not you…" she started but was cut off with Nathanial's forced laugh.  
>"You don't have to make up reasons for me. You are not in love with me and that's that." He looked up at her expectantly and something in his eyes told her that despite what he had just said, he was still hoping she would tell him he's wrong.<br>"No, I'm not in love with you, I'm afraid." Nathanial looked positively defeated, then his jaw locked and his entire body tensed up.  
>"Well it's your loss. It's not my fault you have no taste." The petulance in his voice amused Darquesse again. Some men just couldn't take a 'no' for an answer. She let out a laugh before she could stop herself.<p>

"You think it's funny? You know what they call you around here?" His body was heaving, he was getting ready to attack with the only thing he had at his disposal; his words. "I felt sorry for you really, never fitting in and never being loved. It's entirely your own fault being such a creepy mockery of a woman. You would die alone if it wasn't for that equally freaky Gregory. But then again, he isn't invincible, and maybe you will get what is coming to you. He will end up leaving you anyway, alone and desperate like you deserve to be!"

Nathanial flushed a stark red as he fumed and huffed his way back to the party leaving Darquesse alone with nothing but the sting of his words.  
>Moments passed into minutes, Darquesse didn't know how long she sat there. Nathanial's jealousy over unrequited love shouldn't have bothered her. But it did and knowing Skulduggery had something to do with it made her itch.<br>"Lee-Anne!" hissed a voice from the door finally. She saw Irene looking impatient as she waited at the door, gesturing with her arm for Darquesse to follow her. If Darquesse wanted to give Skulduggery as much time as possible to investigate whatever it was he was investigating then she needed to oblige and act as a distraction before they noticed he had spent an awfully long time on the loo.

Upon entering the drawing room where everyone had moved to, a champagne cork flew at her face. Plucking it effortlessly from the air made the room erupt with applause and laughter as the more boisterous men of the family found themselves wildly drunk and in the mood to be entertained and find everything funny. One of the Uncle's was dropping his hands sloppily over the piano keys creating a terrible racket. No-one seemed to care; the alcohol had taken over all except Ethel that was trying to burn out Darquesse's face with just her stare. She couldn't help herself and gave Ethel a wink she knew would turn her nerve endings to ice. The clinking of Irene's best crystal chimed over the heavy laughter and erratic piano playing. Irene dragged her to the arch that had been passed down through generations. It was carved in spirals like a wedding arch with roses and leafs all hand-carved in great detail. The roof of the arch rained in white and red flowers to represent the love shared when a couple stand under it. Real ivy draped behind the arch like a curtain, like a veil and it really was a piece of beautifully crafted art.  
>Irene steered Darquesse beneath the arch and handed her a glass of Champagne. Lee-Anne's father tapped his glass gently with a spoon in order to silence the room. Irene stood in front of the arch as she acted like the gracious host.<br>"I would like to thank every single one of you for joining me and my family on this wonderful occasion." Her smile was so fake and forced as her husband spoke, Darquesse thought it would snap back any second.  
>"We are here to celebrate the engagement of my daughter Lee-Anne," Ted tried to say without distaste.<br>"And," Irene interrupted. "The stunning Nathanial Croft, this town's most sought after gentleman." Nathanial had stood up and was grinning like an idiot. Irene pulled him in next to her and continued to keep her arm around his waist.  
>"Tonight, in front of close friends and family Lee-Anne and Nathanial will commit themselves to each other and seal it with a kiss."<p>

Darquesse felt like she was going to be sick with the amount of sop that was spewing from her fake mother's mouth. Irene was still babbling when Darquesse quickly glanced over the crowd. Skulduggery was nowhere to be seen. She couldn't understand where he was. The kiss under the arch was probably the thing they had to stop to break this skewed timeline. So where the hell was Skulduggery?  
>The room went silent and when Darquesse focused again Nathanial was leaning in closer to kiss her. Seconds left and Skulduggery still hadn't come to stop it. Nathanial's lips were getting closer; she glanced around the room desperately looking for any unusual shadow that didn't extend from one of her own. She couldn't let her shadows investigate and search for Skulduggery because the rest of the guests would definitely see that.<br>Just as Nathanial's lips closed in on hers she gave a sharp jolt forward with her shoulders and head-butted him square in the face sending him hurtling to the ground.  
>"I've told you already- I will not marry him, not now not ever. Got that?" she spoke. She rounded on Irene who was flustered with the sight of Nathanial sprawled on the floor. The rest of them went silent and daren't move. They were just establishing that maybe not everything was right with Lee-Anne<br>"Where is Gregory?" commanded Darquesse furiously. She sensed the air change, the moisture increased meaning someone was nervous.  
>"Where. Is. He?" When no-one answered she let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. I've had enough."<br>Shadows shot from her fingers and engulfed the room swarming around and blocking off every exit from the room. She left through the large double doors leaving the unpleasant, selfish guests scared frozen behind her. She didn't bat an eye-lid when screams erupted from them and blood was squirted onto the frosted glass of the drawing room doors.

The mansion was surprisingly massive as Darquesse trailed down the nearest corridor. She re-traced Skulduggery's steps from the last time she saw him and headed in that direction. If Nathanial had led Skulduggery or Gregory rather, away in order to do something then it didn't take him very long. She would never find Skulduggery by looking the normal way- with her eyes. She let out a gaseous ball of black and blue energy spinning on its axis. It droned wildly for a moment before settling at eyesight.

"Take me to Skulduggery."

The ball sloshed as it hovered for a moment, then lifted up and dropped as if to nod, approving Darquesse's command. She followed it down the corridor passing through the light it was exuding until finally she came to a door. When she opened it, it revealed a case of wooded stairs leading down to a dank, wine cellar. Rows and rows of crates to the ceiling containing hundreds of different wines. The cellar was damp with the smell of grapes and alcohol but she didn't want to waste any more time.

She focused on the air inside on the bottles and she clapped her hands dramatically. On impact every single bottle exploded filling the room with a drenching, flood like spray and scattered glass in ripples through the air. The cacophony of smashed sounds subsided and this time Darquesse focused on the wooden wine racks occupying the room. She felt the wood bend and shift in creaks and thuds and a few seconds later, when the dust had cleared, there were no more boundaries for her.

She saw Gregory's body that housed Skulduggery's mind slumped in the corner at the other side of the room. She sprinted over to him and found the deep slashes on his throat and the blood that had pooled around his body into a dirty puddle came from the stab wound in his back. She pulled his body towards her checking his neck for a pulse and when she felt nothing her body turned to ice.

"No," she breathed in disbelieve. She ripped the dress she was wearing to shreds to try and apply pressure and stop the bleeding. She refused to believe he was dead. How could that even be? He wasn't Gregory, not really he was just a host for his image, for his soul.  
>"He had a flesh body…" Darquesse trailed off. She realised that once she and Skulduggery stepped over that threshold not only did they take on Lee-Anne's and Gregory's image but their bodies as well and she guessed they could even been killed in this freaky time collapse.<p>

"Skulduggery, no!" she whispered refusing to believe what logic was telling her. As long as they were here, Skulduggery would stay dead. She let him drop from her arms and as she closed off the pain she stood and headed back to her room full of confined victims.  
>Approaching the double doors that were now impossible to see through for the blood stains, the shadows parted like loyal subjects and poised themselves at her flank. Darquesse inhaled deeply taking in the blood and gore laid out for her by her shadows. They had dismembered everyone but Irene, Nathanial, Ethel and Lee-Anne's father. "Who killed him?" she asked the room. When no-one answered her yet again she lost all the mercy she was capable of. <em>"Who killed him!?" <em>she roared grabbing Lee-Anne's father by the scruff of the neck and plunging her thumb into his eye. _"WHO!?" _

He could only scream as his eye was torn apart and it slid down his face. He was quickly tossed into the huge painting that hung on the master wall. The glass from the frame shattered around his body tearing him to pieces before he bounced awkwardly off the fireplace and onto the floor. A great sliver of glass impaled his back pinning him into the floor._  
><em>Darquesse treasured the tortured expression on Irene's face when she saw the body of her husband go limp as he finally met his demise. Darquesse turned on Irene who was clawing her way across the floor to her mother and Nathanial who had managed to scurry to the other side of the room before Darquesse re-entered._  
><em>Darquesse smirked as she rounded on Irene, coming up behind her. She snickered at Irene's crappy attempt to escape her grasp. In the end the shadows that were ready and waiting catapulted forward and whipped Irene up into the air._  
><em>"And where did you think you were going?" Darquesse chimed looking up at Irene as if she was a baby mobile._  
><em>"Get away from me, you wretched girl," Irene screeched at a last attempt to retain some dignity. The shadows lowered her until she was positioned in front of Darquesse and then her hand came up to wrap around Irene's neck, cutting off her circulation.

"Tell me," Darquesse's tone was cold and devoid of emotion. "Who killed Gregory? Or I will kill the three of you in the most agonizing way possible."

"I will tell you nothing! Whore of Satan!" Irene struggled against her, oxygen not flowing into her lungs and starving her brain.  
>"You see, I'm undecided." Darquesse continued as if she hadn't heard her. "Beheading is too quick, disembowelment is too easy and strangulation is <em>so<em> last year." She caught her eyes scorching her point into her that she was going to die a horrible death that would most likely end with her missing body parts and all she had to do to stop it, was talk.  
>Irene tried to spit into Darquesse's face, unfortunately for her it just dribbled down her own face. Darquesse couldn't help cringing and holding back Irene at a greater length. The anger came back all too soon, this woman knew something about Skulduggery's death and that wouldn't stand. She still couldn't figure out how it happened. How could he be defeated by something like blood loss when ancient wars and vampires and Faceless Ones couldn't? Even though she never truly believed he could die, now that he had, she had to avenge him. Her thoughts screamed in her head and for the first time in many, many years she was going to kill this entire room not because it was a game or because she was bored and wanted something fun to do… but because they <em>deserved<em> it. She conjured all her magic and channelled it into her body. She didn't mind getting her hands dirty, actually she revelled in it but if she didn't release some of the searing vengeance that was boiling like a volcano inside her then she was going to explode. At least channelling her magic meant she could make a physical assault on her enemies.  
>Darquesse still had her hand around Irene's throat. She gave her a few more seconds to confess and when she didn't she pulled away her hand. Taking Irene's windpipe with it. A gurgled gasp escaped her lips and her eyes that were wide with horror went glassy and dull. Suddenly she heard a scuttle behind her. Eyeing over her shoulder: Lucy trying to sneak away back into the kitchen, she laughed at how she almost missed her.<br>Darquesse's shadows convulsed and sprung up hooking themselves like spines and clawed over Lucy's back and then dragged her back. Darquesse took a step forward to meet her shadows when she was blocked by a body of a man slumped at her feet. She positioned her heal on the floor and her toes on his head and crunched down on his skull. Feeling the bone give way beneath her, she pressed down with her weight and walked over him.  
><em>"Please!"<em> Lucy begged. Darquesse surged upon her.  
><em>"I had no idea they were going to kill him!"<em> she screamed. Darquesse's eyes narrowed, it wasn't unusual that people tended to spill their guts moments before their brains were going to be spilled on the floor.  
>"I didn't mean to tell her about the letters, but she threatened to throw me on the streets of I didn't mean spy on you!"<br>"Irene?"  
>"No… me." Ethel stood from the chair she was slumped over, she was shaky but she looked determined.<br>Darquesse observed her ancient and frail body, weakened with age and life but she had some tricks. She could sense it around her. And Darquesse loved a challenge.  
>"You may be powerful girl, but you have no experience and no control over your powers."<p>

"What would you call this?" she asked playfully. She waved her arm and all the bodies and Lucy and Nathanial vaporized into nothing. Ethel was the only one left.  
>"Natural talent. But you are less in control when your emotions are running high."<br>"You think so?"  
>"They will be your destruction." Ethel's hand rose rapidly throwing Darquesse back off her feet. She was in the air, flying through it waiting for the impact of the wall she was going to plummet through and then suddenly she felt like she was floating. Everything went obscure around her and her senses were tainted from flashes that felt timeless.<p>

Darquesse landed on the ground hard and skidded yards before being stopped by a wall. "Ouch. Motherfucker," she mumbled to herself rubbing her bum as she set herself upright. For an old granny, Ethel had an annoying good aim. She was in a room she hadn't seen before, most of the room was concealed in darkness apart from the centre so that could be any of them, and Ethel's freaky trick with the disappearing walls was a false she kind of wanted. It would put a whole new spin on 'doors are for people with no imagination.'

She gazed around the room and when she got to the centre, stood there was Skulduggery in his own skeletal form. His suit was the same black one he came in and his purple tie and fedora were the same too. She quickly looked down to herself and she was in her own clothes, not Lee-Anne's. She felt her own skin rub against clothing, tapping down her own arms and legs felt marvellous. Her head shot up again and to her surprise Skulduggery was still there.  
>"Are you real?" she asked tentatively, she didn't want to believe he was really there in case it was another trick and he was snatched away from her again.<br>"It would seem so," Skulduggery replied in that delectable voice of his.  
>"How?" she puzzled.<br>"I guess you can never really kill a skeleton," he quipped giving her that tilt of his skull. He elicited a smile from her.  
>"Where are we?"<br>"I have no idea," Skulduggery replied as the room started to heat up. Steam bellowed in from vents in the ceiling and the walls, lighting up the whole room. The steam was all they could see; it was white and cloudy and left a wet taste on Darquesse's tongue. It was a bit acidy but not unpleasant. Darquesse hurried over to him as the steam engulfed them. Skulduggery touched her elbow to let her know he was still there and then they heard noises in the distance. Just before Darquesse could turn in search for the noise, Skulduggery took her arm.  
>"Wait," as they looked ahead of them images began to appear on the steam taking them into a whole new world. They felt like they had gone into the scene and everything looked so real to them, like the scene had popped out of a book and taken them back inside the story. The image was of a street, it looked as if they were actually there. The cold, evening wind whipped at Darquesse's skin and blew Skulduggery's tie over his shoulder. The street lights barely made dints in the night.<p>

Darquesse was impressed at how genuine this felt, it totally fooled her senses in every way, yet not her mind and certainly not Skulduggery's. He had a tight grip on her arm and he was alerted for danger from all sides. He relaxed a moment and looked to Darquesse with a puzzled expression on his skull.  
>"I feel like…" He started uncertainly.<br>"What?" Darquesse urged.  
>"I feel like I've been here before."<br>Suddenly the heat bombarded them from behind and a forceful blast of wind hit them from behind. An explosion had just gone off behind them but no debris had hit them. They turned frantically to see a bulky, pebble construction up in blazes, the debris and residue and sparks passing right through them. Not as real as they thought then. They both took a stance of not being fatally attacked and were caught off guard when a door flew from the building with un-natural strength. Flames continued to slash and thrash at the sky nearly making Darquesse miss the form beginning to emerge from the doors falling structure.  
>"No," she gasped involuntary.<br>"Darquesse?" Skulduggery coaxed.  
>"No," was all she could say.<br>The tragic truth was that she knew exactly where they were now and she knew exactly what Ethel had intended to do by sending them both there. Utter destruction. She knew what was about to happen next.

As if on cue Clyro Noir appeared from the door with someone cradled in his arms. Skulduggery's eyes had been trained on Darquesse but when he looked over and it was clear who it was and who he was carrying he could not tear his eyes away. Darquesse had been forgotten.  
>Darquesse saw the realisation in his eyes. Clyro was carrying Valkyrie from the burning building. Valkyrie was literally in walking distance of him and it took everything he had to stop himself walking over. To remember that it wasn't real. Remembering this night was easy for Darquesse because it was the day she finally took over for good: the complete end of Valkyrie Cain.<p>

"This is my first memory, for when I surfaced for good." Skulduggery was vibrating like a coil ready to be sprung. "The day that Valkyrie died." Strangely she didn't care about what was going on in front of her. She was more interested in the way Skulduggery's face contorted into so many different emotions, each a flash on his face as he was hit hard by them one by one. Valkyrie, in the distance had started screaming and the look on Skulduggery's face was so pained, it was tortuous to watch.  
>Valkyrie was trying to launch out of Clyro's grip by digging her nails into his solid arms. She fought him by kicking and punching even in her weakened state, she had a little bit of fight left in her. His tight arm that encircled her waist planted her to the ground. She tried to spin around in his arms, hammering down on his chest with her balled fists. She screamed for him to let her go but she was barely audible over the explosion that finally swallowed the entire building. Valkyrie's voice came out husky and desperate as her chest practically clutched for air. All the while Clyro never faulted, he kept Valkyrie from danger therefore saving her life. This of course was what he was programed to do. Her words escaped her lips in a whisper.<p>

"_MY BABY! NO MY BABY!" _Valkyrie struggled so persistently she wore herself out and ended up letting Clyro take all her weight to keep her standing. Her screams had died in her throat but her sobs were still painful, her hands were covering her face as she cried uncontrollably. Darquesse didn't look at Skulduggery for the next part. The part where Valkyrie's cries and wails suddenly stopped and her demeanour changed drastically. Clyro kept his arm around her but loosened it.  
>"Valkyrie?" he said softly. She shook her head.<br>"Darquesse," Clyro said releasing her from his grasp knowing it was useless.  
>"We have work to do," she said as she walked bare foot through the debris oblivious to everything but the pain she was wearing like a jacket.<br>The vision clouded over and faded away to the clogged steamy room leaving Darquesse and Skulduggery in emotional tatters.

_**Somewhere in Russia**_

_Cuff Yellcode came in from the blizzard, his cheeks burning like ice and his eyes frozen apart by tiny specks of hail. He made his way through a labyrinth of derelict corridors until he came to a marble carved archway and stone door. He pushed them open with a struggle and entered the large, circular room dimly lit with a ceiling out of sight.  
>"Tell me the bad news, Cuff," a voice came from the large marble table occupying the centre of the room.<br>"Sanguine hasn't checked in for days, Sir."  
>"Is he still alive?" The insanely tall man at the table asked, his back still turned to Cuff.<br>"I'm not sure Sir." The tall man put down the sword he was lovingly cleaning on the table and turned to face Cuff.  
>"Well, have you instructed Fraa to see if he can activate his tracker?" His face was patient and quiet but Cuff still felt very uneasy and cautious.<br>"No, Sir. I will get on to it straight away."_

_Cuff came back a while later with Fraa Shackleton in toe. They both stopped in front of the tall man.  
>"Well?"<br>"Billy-Ray Sanguine is still alive." Fraa answered before Cuff had a chance to open his mouth.  
>"And where is he Fraa?" Fraa faulted.<br>"He's in Ireland."  
>"Send the Acid Battery to go and collect him." The tall man commanded. When neither Cuff nor Fraa answered his eyes drew beady.<br>"What now?" he barked. "What are you not telling me?"  
>"We did manage to get in contact with a few of our agents in Ireland, most of them are dead." Cuff answered this time. <em>

"_How?" The tall man asked in a mix been rage and disbelief. "How did that happen?"  
>"We believe it was Skulduggery Pleasant's doing Sir." Fraa offered.<br>"Ah, I see.-"  
>"But that's not all," Cuff interjected again. "He had help from a dark haired girl that was extremely powerful. One of our agents managed to pick up their location. They haven't left in six hours."<br>"The Texan is crucial to my plan, or not but I just like him. So since I've apparently surrounded myself with idiots, I am going to collect him myself. You two defiantly couldn't handle Skulduggery Pleasant if you came across him." He chortled. Cuff and Fraa dare not rise to the tall man's bait. They did not want him to know that other than their boss himself, there was no one worse than Skulduggery Pleasant.  
>"Especially if, he happened to find out the role you played if Valkyrie's life after she tragically left him for a broken man. And a broken man is the most dangerous of them all."<br>"But Sir…" Cuff hesitated. "You haven't been back to Ireland since-"  
>"Since the war. I am aware."<br>"If you go back some-one may recognise you."  
>"This I am also aware of, Cuff. But if I want a job correctly, it seems I must do it myself." Cuff and Fraa exchanged worried glances.<br>"Send what is left of the Acid Battery to fetch this girl who Skulduggery has been seen with. Use brutal force and bring her to my safe house near Haggard."  
>"When will you be leaving?"<br>"Now."  
>"Good luck Sir."<br>"Oh Cuff," the tall man held the large, silver sword in his hands, handling it like it was the weight of a feather. "I don't need luck, not when I have this. Not as good as my last one. But will do for now. Take this to the airport."  
>"Of course Sir," Cuff said scrambling for the sword. "I won't let you down… Mevolent."<br>Mevolent's smile was a repellent stomach-turner. And he was headed for Haggard.  
>Once Cuff and Fraa and scurried away out of the building Mevolent knew he was still not alone. He moved through the marble room, slowly strolling deeper through the building. Mevolent came to the final door and pushed it open silently.<em>

_The room was small was dank and dark, one tiny window let a faint stream of moonlight attempt to cut through the black but it was swallowed by the shadows. In the centre of the room was a hospital style bed. Mevolent moved to the bed checking the monitors and wires and tubing that were connected to the body in the bed. His hand came out and stroked the girl's forehead; she was shivering slightly despite the blankets that were covering her. Her skin was pale and her hair was raven and moist, she was sweating through a fever and shivering through the chills. Her eyes slowly opened with Mevolent's touch.  
>"The time has come my child, you will be moved shortly." Mevolent said oddly gentle.<br>"Where… are we going?" a weak voice asked.  
>"Back to Ireland."<em>

"_But… I just came… back from there."  
>"Yes, you did. And your work was so good; I need you to do a few more things for me."<em>

_The girl in the bed nodded and slowly her eyes fluttered closed her breathing coming in heavy pants. Mevolent pulled the covers over her tightly before gazing over her sleeping face again. Mevolent looked up when a gangly figure appeared at the door. He was disgusting, his mouth was just a gaping wound, disproportionate arms and legs were stuck to his body like a puzzle and the most atrocious smell Mevolent had smelt in years. But he was good at what he did.  
>"Nye, how is she?" Nye walked deeper into the room coming to closer to Mevolent. His voice was low over the beeps if the machines.<br>"She's critical but stable. Her magic keeps fluctuating, I'm not sure she can take absorbing any more magic, Mevolent." Mevolent's gaze moved from the girl in the bed up to Nye.  
>"Don't be stupid Nye, she is an absolute beauty and I need her to be at full strength, do you understand?" he asked menacingly. Nye just nodded and Mevolent returned his gaze to the girl.<br>"You will be strong soon," he said gently. "And there are two people I would love for you to meet." Mevolent checked the monitors once more.  
>"It's time for you to meet your Mother and father and what a glorious day it will be when you kill them."<em>

Darquesse couldn't look at Skulduggery, he was stood un-moving next to her and she couldn't even hear him breathing. The stream had clouded over them turning the room dull and when it brightened again they were in a wooded area. They heard shouts from not too far away.  
><em>"Hit it!"<em> A familiar voice shouted. _"SOMEBODY HIT IT!"_  
>Skulduggery and Darquesse both felt like they were rooted to the spot, because both knew exactly where they were now.<br>Aranmore Farm.  
>China and Ghastly were thrown backwards passed them by the tentacles of the Faceless One, thrashing around frantically. The Faceless One was struggling to keep itself from being sucked back through the portal that was converged behind it. Tentacles wrapped around the trees for leverage and they snaked by Darquesse as they burrowed into the ground up-rooting anything in its way.<br>Then Skulduggery from the vision stepped forward. Darquesse almost wanted to rush to him and stop him from getting too close but it would only cause disappointment.  
>Skulduggery snapped out his hand hurtling the air at the Faceless One throwing it back into the portal. Its tentacles lost their fight and were yanked in after it. Earth was catapulted from the ground and flew past Skulduggery.<br>_"The Grotesquery!" _he shouted. _"Now!" _  
>Fletcher was still in the column of smoke that was powering the portal and he slid his hands underneath it and heaved it into the air and landed it somewhat near Skulduggery. He picked it up and with a mighty push he sent it into the air then thrust his hand out sending the Grotesquery into the portal.<br>Darquesse shivered at what was about to happen next. Valkyrie may not be much of a presence in her head anymore but she still had all her memories and felt everything Valkyrie felt. And she did _not _want to re-live those emotions. The emptiness she felt when Skulduggery was sucked through the portal was so devastating to her that she could not live in a world without him. She fought for all those months he was trapped there to get him back with or without the help of anyone else.  
>Darquesse resisted the urge to wrap her fingers around Skulduggery's hand as the portal began to rapidly close. The tentacle stretching through the portal made her heart skip a beat. It curled around Skulduggery's ankle pulling him hard to the floor and it dragged him across the ground. Valkyrie went sprinting towards him.<br>_"Skulduggery!"_ she screamed. He looked up and reached out to her, but it was too late. Skulduggery disappeared through the gateway.  
>Obviously Skulduggery wasn't here to see the moments that tumbled after, the first time. Darquesse could feel his eyes glued to the Valkyrie that he hadn't seen in years.<br>_"Keep it open!"_ Valkyrie screamed to Fletcher.  
><em>"I can't!"<em> The portal closed in front of her.  
><em>"Open it!"<em> she yelled. Fletcher stood there and all he could do was shake his head, his face stunned unable to contemplate.  
><em>"No Fletcher, no! You've got to open it!"<em> Her voice was desperate, at the verge of breakdown.  
><em>"I don't have the Grotesquery,"<em> he said. _"I can't."_  
>China was standing not far from Valkyrie, she ran at her and grabbed her arms.<br>_"Do something!"_ China didn't even look at her. Her blue eyes so pretty, so pale, were on the empty space that she had last seen Skulduggery. Valkyrie, realising she was useless shoved her away from her and turned to Ghastly.  
><em>"Come on,"<em> she roared.  
><em>"He's gone."<em> Ghastly said, his voice dull.  
><em>"He can't be!"<em>  
>Darquesse remember when she was Valkyrie, spinning between them all, looking for someone who knew what to do, someone who'd have a plan. She saw no-one. Then Valkyrie dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face like a part of her had been cut out.<br>Aranmore Farm evaporated into nothingness and the steam convulsed around them.  
>Darquesse was frozen to the spot, she felt that Skulduggery couldn't move either. She shook slightly trying everything to keep her body from betraying her. But now she knew what Irene had meant. Darquesse and Skulduggery were going to be subjected to re-living some of their most painful memories, or maybe all of them, until they went insane and eventually killed each other or somehow they got out.<p>

Skulduggery hadn't taken his eye sockets away from where Valkyrie had been knelt on the floor in front of him, crying her heart from her chest. Before Darquesse could say anything the steam surged and changed. The steam rippled and settles on an abandoned stone-building community. She remembered standing on the very spot when she finally managed to obtain Skulduggery's original skull and pass through the portal. Darquesse started walking forward in the same direction she remembered going over ten years earlier, Skulduggery silently followed. She motioned to him when she found a familiar set of stone steps. Down the steps and into the shallow cave, where the light from outside shone a dull glow on Skulduggery's dismantled skeleton. Darquesse remembered walking down the steps the first time, when her life was nothing but dark days, when she thought of nothing and no-one but Skulduggery Pleasant.

They moved down the steps, Skulduggery hadn't said a word since they came from Aranmore Farm. Darquesse wasn't surprised, Skulduggery barely told Valkyrie anything about the tortures the Faceless Ones did to him, and he always said it would give her nightmares.  
>As if on cue Valkyrie appeared at the tops of the steps and flittered past Darquesse and Skulduggery. The hairs on Darquesse's arm tingled. "This doesn't seem right," she said glancing at Skulduggery next to her.<br>"It's not."  
>Valkyrie ran towards Skulduggery's un-moving skeleton. <em>"Skulduggery?"<em> she said stopping a few feet in front of him. _"Skulduggery can you hear me?"_ His skeleton was draped over a pile of broken stone slabs, his arms outstretched at either side which was impossible, even for a skeleton to find comfortable. He was missing his right lower leg, a few ribs and finger bones and his left foot was gone too. His suit was in shreds barely covering him and his fedora was unfortunately missing. Skulduggery struggled to turn his skull to look at Valkyrie who knelt in front of him. He scrutinized her with his gaze.  
><em>"It's me, Valkyrie. I've come for you." <em>Skulduggery strained himself as he tried to pull himself up, but he was too exhausted and in too much pain. He fell back onto the rock with a wounded groan.  
><em>"Skulduggery,"<em> Valkyrie said expectantly, she reached out and took the hand that wasn't clutching at his ribs. Skulduggery's gaze fell on their hands entwined together. He could feel her touch and her warmth, something he had sadly and reluctantly forgotten in the past year.  
><em>"Valkyrie… I don't believe it…"<em> he whispered dully.  
><em>"I'll prove it,"<em> she said confidently. Valkyrie crawled forward and wrapped her arms around him. She managed to worm her hands between his skeleton and the rock, and let her head fall onto his shoulder. It took Skulduggery a few moments to take in her form around him. He slowly closed his arms around her. They sat there for a few moments, perfectly contempt in each other's embrace.  
><em>"What took you so long?"<em> Skulduggery finally said into Valkyrie's ear. She laughed at his dead humour.  
><em>"Sorry I've been busy."<em> She smirked.  
><em>"Doing what?"<em> he asked noticing a change in her demeanour, she pulled away slightly to look into his eye sockets.  
><em>"Oh, you know, getting on with my life. I found that you were quite the hindrance to my life and when you got stuck here I was finally free."<em> Valkyrie's face turned from perfect to a mix of Valkyrie and Faceless One mutated together. Skulduggery shoved her away from him, slumping back onto the slabs behind him. Her laugh was so deep and twisted it churned his stomach- if he had one.

"_Damn hallucination,"_ he muttered to himself now he knew Valkyrie was not real. She hadn't come to rescue him and the Faceless Ones were mocking him.

Darquesse felt knots in her stomach as she turned to see her Skulduggery, watching him re-live one of his most painful memories was like watching someone microwave a puppy, although Darquesse did find that quite funny. It bothered her that this memory was one of the first ones to come up for Skulduggery, a hallucination of Valkyrie was enough to defeat him. That's what he looked like right now sprawled out in front of her, the Valkyrie-Faceless Mutant disappeared. Skulduggery from the vision ground his remaining finger into the rocky sand beneath him and threw a spray of it to the other side of the cave, using the air to send them flying like flecks of bullets through the cave wall. Tiny streams of light scattered across cave and then the steam flooded around them again.  
>Steam convulsed and jerked conjuring a darkened torture room. The moon was out and the stars were twinkling and it really was a beautiful night for pain. Darquesse set her jaw as they appeared mid-way through a conversation, or more of a torture session between Skulduggery, who was tied to a chair in the centre of the room and none other than Nefarian Serpine.<p>

Serpine was stood behind his captive talking over his shoulder, this was way back when Valkyrie had first met Skulduggery and he had taken her away into a mystical world of danger and adventure. Serpine had kidnapped Skulduggery because he was helping her solve her Uncle Gordon's murder. It seems they were seeing one of those many torture sessions that Serpine had inflicted on Skulduggery before Valkyrie, Tanith and Ghastly managed to save him.

"_I think for the moment anyway, we're all alone. And you have something I want." Serpine stated.  
>"A winning sense of style?"<br>"The key," Serpine walked around Skulduggery and into view.  
>"Don't know what you're talking about."<br>"Obviously you're not going to just offer up the information, so I think a spot of torture is required."  
>"Ah, old times."<br>"I remember those dark autumn days that I'd while away, cutting you, making you cry out."  
>"Fun for the whole family."<br>_Darquesse looked over to her Skulduggery, she couldn't help smiling from his vision's last remark. He turned to meet her eyes, she thought that maybe from that slight tilt of his head he was trying to tell her he was ok. _  
>"Actually, I was going to ask that you go easy on me. I'm feeling kind of tender today."<br>_Darquesse physically barked out a laugh then stopped herself when Serpine stood, opened his left hand in front of the detective and said, _"This is your one chance. Tell me where the key is."  
>"Ok,"<em> Serpine raised his eyebrow at Skulduggery._  
>"Really?"<br>"No, only joking. Do your worst."_ Serpine let out a laugh and his fingers started moving, twirling and Skulduggery, started screaming. Serpine pulled away his hand with a dramatic jolt, Skulduggery's screams halted._  
>"You know what is interesting though,"<em> Serpine said playfully spinning on the spot and finally bringing his eyes to rest on Skulduggery._  
>"You have a new partner. Pretty little thing isn't she."<em> Skulduggery's strained groans went silent. Serpine clapped his hands together in delight._  
>"Did I, Skeleton detective, just hit a nerve?"<em> Skulduggery didn't respond._  
>"Now what is so special about her that you would choose her to be your partner so young? She may just have to be one of the next people I kill with my right red hand.<em>" Skulduggery began to struggle against his restraints. _"Don't you go near her,"_ he threatened._  
>"If you don't tell me where the key is Skulduggery, I'll do more than kill her."<em> Serpine crouched down so he was at eye level with Skulduggery._  
>"I will expose and exploit everything she is and when she begs me to take her life, because living is just so unbearable…"<em> he moved his head within inches of Skulduggery's and whispered, _"I will _end_ her." _Skulduggery head-butted Serpine with a crisp crunch and the scene disappeared.

The visions were happening faster and faster, Darquesse and Skulduggery barely had moments to think before the next memory was unfolding on them. When multiple conflicting emotions surged upon Darquesse and Skulduggery their mental stability could only suffer from the onslaught and crumble.

The room changed to semi-darkness, only patches of the room were visible. The bodies that lined the walls were just blank shapes and the floor was scattered with tables and carts. On one of the carts laid Valkyrie's corpse. Skulduggery took in the sight of her lifeless body, her sternum wide open and her heart on the table beside her. Darquesse felt Skulduggery thunder beside her with overwhelming anger, he was trying his best to keep control of his temper. Even though this scene was in the past, he knew what Valkyrie had to go through to do something so brave, he always regretted not being there with her. It cut a hole right through his chest to see her like this.  
>Valkyrie laid on the table, her gaze drifting around the room that children couldn't even dream up in their worst nightmares. She closed her eyes and when she opened them Skulduggery was standing over her.<br>Like in Skulduggery's memory in the reality of the Faceless One's, he and Darquesse could see his hallucination of Valkyrie. Darquesse's was no different and they both could see Valkyrie's hallucinated Skulduggery who stood over her on the metal cart.  
><em>"I'm here to rescue you,"<em> Skulduggery said. He was dressed all in black, even his shirt was black. _"Can you understand me?"_ Valkyrie nodded. Hope blossomed, flowered.  
><em>"Good,"<em> he said. _"Remember when you rescued me from the Faceless One's? You came in and dragged me out? I'm returning the favour, because that's what partners do."_ They waited for a few moments for something to happen.  
><em>"Why are you here by the way? This is an odd place to be."<em> Darquesse remembered thinking that they didn't have time for his questions. Nye could be back any time.

"_Are you here for an operation?"_ Skulduggery asked. _"Why would you need an operation? What's wrong with you? Why are you folded open like this? Why is your heart over there?"  
>"Please…"<em> Valkyrie whispered._  
>"Please? Please what? Please help you? Why would I help you? You're going to kill me."<br>_Valkyrie shook her head. This wasn't right. _"No…"  
>"Yes you are. You're going to kill me, Valkyrie. You're going to kill <em>everyone_. Why should I help you? Can either of you give me a reason?"_ Valkyrie's parents were suddenly standing at the other side of Valkyrie's bed._  
><em>"_My Stephanie wouldn't kill anyone," her mother told Skulduggery.  
><em>"My _Stephanie would," _her dad said sadly. _  
><em>"I'm stopping that from happening."_  
><em>Darquesse's mouth went dry because of course Valkyrie didn't stop it happening. Her whole future wagered on whether she would turn in Darquesse who _would _destroy the world. But it grinded on Darquesse that no-one seemed to think Valkyrie could do it on her own. Maybe she stopped herself turning into Darquesse and she still destroyed the world.  
>"<em>Can we take that chance<em>?" her mum said as she patted her own belly which was huge due to her pregnancy. "_I've got another child on the way. A better child. Better than you. We can't risk hurting it._"_  
><em>"_I think we should shoot her,"_ The reflection had appeared next to imagined Skulduggery, she was dressed in the clothes Ghastly had made for Valkyrie, but they were all in pink. "_Why do we need her? I can take her place."  
><em>Darquesse resisted the urge to scream and try and tear out this room from her memory. It wouldn't do much good. The whole reason Valkyrie had this hallucination was because she was afraid of becoming Darquesse. The person she is today. Darquesse was not only offended but mad because she made Valkyrie better. She _survived_ the death of her new-born daughter because of her. And now Skulduggery was regarding her carefully trying to figure out what she was feeling, what she was thinking._  
><em>"_But you can't do magic_," Valkyrie's dad said._  
><em>"_I think that's a good thing,_" the reflection responded. _"Valkyrie can do magic and she's going to kill the world if Skulduggery's doesn't shoot her."  
><em>"_Who's Valkyrie?"_ asked her dad._  
><em>"_Stephanie_," said the reflection._  
><em>"_Oh."  
><em>"_She's right_," Skulduggery said and he took out his revolver. "_I'm going to have to shoot you Valkyrie_."_  
><em>"_Not real_," Valkyrie mumbled. Skulduggery felt Darquesse tense up next to him, he really couldn't comprehend what she must be feeling right now._  
><em>"_I'm sorry_." Darquesse and Skulduggery observed Valkyrie's parents fading away and then the reflection until only Skulduggery remained.

"_You're right_," he nodded still looking over her. "_You can't ignore me forever and I'm not going to shoot you. Imaginary bullets are surprisingly ineffective against… everything really. I'm not going to come for you, you know. There is no one coming to rescue you. You got yourself into this mess, and it's up to you to get yourself out_."  
>And of course it was true, Skulduggery never came to save Valkyrie. He never even knew she was in trouble until she told him what had happened. Unsurprisingly he didn't take the fact that she had gone to Nye for help instead of him too well.<br>It was like a physical blow to the chest watching Valkyrie shake and beg, pleading with the Skulduggery who had a gun trained at her. He always thought that Valkyrie knew he would never hurt her, that she was the one person he wasn't capable of hurting. And for her in her most desperate time to imagine him like this. With a gun aimed at her, never coming to save her. It hurt him to think that she imagined him like that. But a part of him knew like he knew in his hallucinations that they only appear to torment not help. They take the things you love the most and turns them against you. It stabbed him in the heart being able to see her longing for him to save her that she put herself in this position to stop the forthcoming of Darquesse with no guarantee at the end of it actually working. It was ironic that Darquesse was stood beside him now.  
>She seemed to be going through her own inner turmoil to Skulduggery's surprise. The few times he met Darquesse before she became in permanent control of Valkyrie's mind all she wanted to do was play. She was like a child that had been let loose with weapons of mass destruction and no discipline. Now she had some priorities that seemed more important to her than destroying the world. It must be due to the way Darquesse acquired control- not the happiest of situations to be born into. Skulduggery holstered his gun and faded away leaving Valkyrie alone.<br>Skulduggery glanced at Darquesse attempting to catch her eye but she refused to look at him. She was not going to allow him to see her weak from re-living Valkyrie's pathetic past. As much as she tried to ignore it, Valkyrie's emotions were relighting her mind and she was becoming more potent in the corner of Darquesse's head.  
>Valkyrie clicked her fingers trying to create a spark they assumed, it didn't work. While Valkyrie attempted to retrieve a breadknife by throwing lamps around the room in order to cut through her straps keeping her tied to the bed, Skulduggery finally managed to make eye contact with Darquesse.<br>"Darquesse," he said quietly. She averted her eyes quickly and didn't respond. "Darquesse…" his tone resembling a plead.  
>"No," Darquesse said returning her gaze to Valkyrie who had managed to cut herself free and was at the door. She opened it and moved into the corridor beyond. Darquesse followed her before Skulduggery could say anything else. They had reached a door on the other side passing three brutally, crude rooms on the way. Valkyrie suddenly stopped at the door and turned, she looked up and they all saw Nye sleeping in a hammock suspended in mid-air with pulleys and ropes. Valkyrie hurried back down the corridor, Skulduggery turned to Darquesse and tilted his head in a silent question- 'shouldn't we follow her?'<br>"Don't worry, she'll be back." Skulduggery nodded satisfied with her answer since she had already lived it. "She forgot her heart." The seriousness of what happened to Valkyrie hit Skulduggery again like a wall. This horror and torment actually happened to her. That gaping hole in her chest only made Skulduggery feel sick because it reminded him that he still hadn't killed Nye in the first place for doing this to Valkyrie. Nye had physically cut open her chest and ripped out her heart.

Valkyrie emerged in the warehouse door carrying a bag which contained her heart and sternum.  
>"Nice choice of bag," Skulduggery commented.<br>"A girl can't be picky in sticky situations." Darquesse replied.  
><em>"Where do you think you're going?" <em>Nye screeched as he dropped from the ceiling and ducked through the doorway cornering off Valkyrie. _"You think you're going to escape?"_ It asked walking over_. "You can't escape, you stupid girl. You're dead. In here, as in the Dullahan's carriage, you enjoy an untroubled existence. You're one of the dead things. But outside of these walls is _life_. You set one foot outside, you collapse. Blood spurts and your body caves in. You're carrying your heart around in a refuse bag, for God's sake. What did you think was going to happen?"_  
><em>"Let me go,"<em> Valkyrie said.  
><em>"No,"<em> Nye said_. "Get back on the table. I'm not finished with you."_  
><em>"Fix me then,"<em> she said. Nye's ruined mouth jerked into a surprised smile._  
>"I'm sorry? What? You're giving me orders, is that it? Is that what you're doing?"<em> Valkyrie nodded._  
>"You don't give me orders!"<em> Nye screeched, its hand came down before she had even seen and the back of it swooped in and caught the side of her face. Valkyrie went stumbling._  
><em>Skulduggery went to lunge forward at Nye before Darquesse caught him around the waist without looking._  
><em>"It's not real, remember?" Skulduggery looked at her in anguish. He wanted to beat Nye to a bloody mess, it was easy for Darquesse to stand there calmly, and she knew that was going to happen_. _"She didn't feel anything."_  
>"I'm in charge here!"<em> Nye yelled and kicked her. _  
><em>"When we get out of here, I am going to kill Nye." Skulduggery's voice was low and quite terrifying; it nearly matched Darquesse's._  
><em>"I don't doubt you." She replied._  
><em>Nye snatched the bag from Valkyrie as she rolled across the ground._  
>"We'll see how many orders you give once your heart has been incinerated?"<em> Nye turned to stalk back to the door. Valkyrie plunged her hand into her jacket pocket. Shadows coiled around her, and a great wave of darkness smashed into Nye and took it off its feet. Valkyrie slammed the wave to the floor striking Nye who had landed on the ground hard._  
><em>The shadows swirled up, swept Valkyrie off her feet touching down beside Nye. It scrambled up, tried to run. Shadows suddenly wrapped around Nye's right leg and wrenched._  
><em>Nye screamed as its leg snapped in a dozen places, and it fell to the ground._  
>"Please!"<em> it called. _"You don't know what you're doing!" _The shadows played with Valkyrie's hair._  
>"That's Necromancy!"<em> Nye yelled. "_But you're dead! It's death magic wielded by a dead person- you don't know what you're doing! You can't control it- you're not strong enough! Please don't kill me!"  
>"Fix me,"<em> Valkyrie said._  
>"I will,"<em> Nye cried, tears streaming down his face. _"But my leg is broken! Let me mend it and then I'll-"  
>"Fix me now,"<em> Valkyrie said without emotion, _"or I'll let the shadows kill you."  
><em>Nye nodded quickly._ "Yes, yes of course. Just get you back on the table and-"  
>"No straps,"<em> said Valkyrie. _"Nothing tying me down. You do this or die."  
><em>"That's my girl," Skulduggery said smugly, Darquesse couldn't bring to herself to speak. The smell of Necromancy around her was intoxicating. It gathered at her nose and drenched her body. Remembering that power wasn't easy since she was dead at the time, death has no emotion.

Darquesse took a long breath in, taking in deeply the now faint aromas she was so used to. She swore the shadows spilling from Valkyrie's ring could sense her. She looked at the same one she had on her finger now, years in the future. The shadows strayed and circled around her like a playful puppy, disappointment spread through her body as they swarmed at her like she was invisible. Knowing her true name exposed so many new ways of thinking and using magic as an extension of her, being deep into her own mind's past was something she could feel within her bones. She felt the magic of Ethel pulse around her. It was like a faint murmur in the back of her head, ebbing at her source of magic. She could feel it and she knew she could break it. If she could just calm the fuck down.  
>The steam surged up and changed scenes without an interval. A scene they both recognised all too well.<br>Valkyrie's bedroom.  
>The reflection stood at the wardrobe gawking at the open window.<br>"For god's sake," Darquesse mumbled to herself. Skulduggery hadn't figured out what was going to happen, there were so many times when they had been together in Valkyrie's room that it was impossible to tell which scene was going wrap them in a chilling embrace. But Darquesse knew, and it dawned on Skulduggery like the shredding of his nerves when he saw himself clamber through the window.  
><em>"Valkyrie!"<em> he whispered harshly, knowing her parents were downstairs.  
><em>"She's gone."<em> Skulduggery whipped around to the voice and saw the reflection emerging from the shadows.  
><em>"What?"<em> Skulduggery's voice turned cold.  
><em>"She left you that note."<em> The reflection pointed to where Valkyrie had left her note on her pillow. _"I'm going downstairs now. Please leave quietly so my parents don't hear you."_ The reflection left and Skulduggery still hadn't moved. Darquesse saw through the corner of her eye the real Skulduggery uncharacteristically fidgeting with his tie.

Skulduggery by the window finally shook himself from his still stunned stance, took a few uncertain steps towards her bed and picked up the letter. Darquesse couldn't take her eyes off him as he read the letter, Skulduggery beside her never looked up from the floor, he couldn't watch.  
>They waited for a while, the letter still in Skulduggery's hand- too much time had passed for him to still be reading it. It was only a short letter. Maybe he was re-reading it, trying to make some rational thoughts about what he had just read. What Valkyrie had written. He suddenly whipped out his phone and dialled a number.<p>

Skulduggery hoped the scene would end there, before it was revealed who his past-self had just called. He dared a glimpse at Darquesse, she was transfixed .  
><em>"I need you,"<em> he said into the phone. There was a pause the recipient's response.  
><em>"I need you to help me get Valkyrie back… China."<em>

The whole room flashed, the scene jolted out of sight and a harsh wave of static burst around them. The room began to shudder, the steam dissipated completely. Skulduggery braced himself, planting his feet on the floor. He knew that last scene would cause this sort of reaction. The ceiling cracking, deep jagged grooves spread down the wall like veins. Screeched screams blew out the room. Skulduggery looked over to Darquesse, she was as still as a statue, the hatred and the anger had frozen her to the spot and was cooking her mind as she tried to break her way through Irene's twisted mind-warp rubbish. Emotions were meant to be the cause of their destruction, but it was her emotions that blocked the power, her true name giving her more strength to break through.  
>Everything went white. Skulduggery yanked his arm over his skull to shield him from the searing light. As the brightness began to fizz away in the air, Skulduggery saw the ghost of Lee-Anne, her hand on Darquesse's cheek. The light finally disappeared and they were in old storage room.<br>"Come on," Darquesse said practically dragging Skulduggery out of the room. "I know what to do."  
>She stormed into the lounge, a site of chaos and dust. Ethel was sprawled on the floor, gasping for breath.<br>"They need their cheesy happy ending." Darquesse pulled Skulduggery more gently this time, right past Ethel and under the sacred arch.  
>Once again they looked like Lee-Anne and Gregory and before he could pull away Darquesse slipped her hands around his neck and smashed her lips onto his. Ethel screamed in objection but she was powerless to stop them. Darquesse kissed Skulduggery more forcefully; she didn't care if they were just kissing to free two trapped lovers and their spirits. She was pouring everything into that kiss to show Skulduggery what she wanted from him. He was the only match for her and she was definitely the only match for him. The only woman that could make him feel things even his dead wife couldn't.<br>Skulduggery had both of his hands resting on Darquesse's waist as she assaulted his lips.  
>Everything was engulfed in light that started to crack the reality of the time warped world. The fabrics of Lee-Anne's magic that exuded the time warp were so strong, losing her lover that night, finding him murdered in the most brutal way caused her magic to explode and it rippled back to trap everyone that had caused it. All of them were destined to repeat the same night, the same torture, and the torture that Lee-Anne put them through the first time this day way lived. Flashes of the original night flashed passed them, the whole night until Lee-Anne found Gregory's body and the whole house was made to suffer. To re-live the same day until someone finally came who could break the magic.<p>

Skulduggery having not actually died made way for Darquesse to break through Irene's magic and find Lee-Anne's spirit. She was able to tell her what needed to be done to break the magic, now that Gregory's sprit didn't vanish in death.

Irene wailed as she saw the spirits of Lee-Anne and Gregory jerk into the same place as Skulduggery and Darquesse. They kissed and were finally able to die together. Another flash and Skulduggery pulled away. All around them the house had aged nearly a hundred years. The room was a mess of powder, dirt and old furniture decaying and falling to piece. Darquesse felt relief that they were finally out but it quickly vanished when Skulduggery jerked her away, now back to his usual well-dressed skeleton self and left the house.

Outside the sky had gone dark. They had been stuck in the Ghost Mansion for hours and now it was after midnight. Skulduggery was making his way down the long pebbled path, to the front gates that had also aged incredibly. Darquesse scowled as she watched his back from behind. She didn't expect that reaction after she had kissed him. Being in the moment and with all the long lost love around she thought he might have been a little inclined to do it again once they were alone, but it seemed he couldn't wait to get away from her. That pricked her irritation and her resentment. Darquesse caught up to him and his fast-pacing walk.  
>"Glad I never had a mum like that."<br>"You've never had a mum." Skulduggery said quietly. Darquesse was sure she could sense a hint of bitterness in his voice.  
>"Yes I have. She's called Melissa, remember?"<br>"She's Valkyrie's mum."  
>"She's mine too."<br>"No she isn't. You plague Valkyrie's mind but you could never imagine the genuine love a person can feel for someone else." Skulduggery said sternly. Darquesse narrowed her eyes and stopped.  
>"Like you can talk, you're a skeleton for God's sake!" Skulduggery stopped and turned to face her.<br>"That is very true, and I maybe a monster, but I'm no stranger to feeling the bonds between loved ones."  
>"You think I'm a monster?" Darquesse singled in on the word, she never cared about what other people thought of her, their existence was a blip on her radar. But Skulduggery was something else completely and for him to think <em>she<em> was a monster after all the terrible things he had done caused the fury to build up within her.  
>"I can end you right now. That pretty aura of yours that flitters around you- I could snuff it with little effort." Skulduggery didn't flinch at her threat. "True colours showing there," he quipped.<br>"How exactly am I a monster?" Darquesse asked ignoring Skulduggery's jab. "Because I've killed people? Because I've been prophesized to destroy the world?"  
>"That might be part of it," Skulduggery said in a mocking tone.<br>"You have killed people, my count won't be far from yours and you've been at it longer." This is not how it was meant to go according to Darquesse. Skulduggery was not meant to question her or judge her, he was meant to choose her over everything else. He was not sticking to Darquesse's unspoken plan. And that would not stand un-tested.  
>"Not all the deaths I caused were necessary. I know I can never redeem myself for the destruction I have caused but in cliché terms, I'm on the good side… and you kill for fun."<br>She took small steps towards him, "I think you're jealous. Because I know you Skulduggery. Maybe not as good as Ghastly or China who have known you for centuries. Maybe not even as good as Valkyrie, her thoughts were always too one-sided." She stopped mere inches from his body so he could feel her light breath on his skull.  
>"But I know what makes you tick. You are such an anger-fuelled person it completely consumes you. It takes over every breath of you. No wonder you turned into Lord Vile. That anger would have destroyed anyone else, but you manipulated it so it made you stronger."<br>"That's not exactly how it happened-"  
>"You would <em>beg<em> for a chance to be as free as me, to give yourself over to the fury and let it over take you. I can take you to higher levels and we can leave with utter destruction in our wake." She leant forward a tiny bit more so her lips almost grazed Skulduggery. "Let's revel in each other."

She closed the gap and kissed Skulduggery's skull. She only managed to last a second or two before Skulduggery cupped her face and shoved it away. Darquesse gave a grunted roar and scowled at him.  
>"Thank-you for the offer, But God no." Skulduggery laughed out his last word. Darquesse was heaving as she tried to burn through him with her eyes, technically she could but she didn't want to kill him. Although if he carried on pissing her off, she might just try.<br>"Oooh I see, I know what you want," her tone was a mix between the rage she was still feeling and a devilish laugh. "You want me to give up your precious Valkyrie." When Skulduggery didn't come back with a witty retort, her devilish grin turned into a snarl. "That will never happen… I'll make sure of it."  
>"So you can release her," Skulduggery said darkly. A curdled snicker escaped her lips.<br>"Never going to happen, Skulduggery. She is mine to keep for eternity."  
>"You have no right to keep her." Skulduggery said his voice dangerously low still.<br>"I have every right. And I will own her until she is nothing but a memory." She provoked.  
>"She was grieving for her daughter, and you used that to slither your way past and take over. You used the death of Valkyrie's daughter for your own despicable means." Skulduggery accused.<br>Darquesse came forward and got real close again. "You can do better than Valkyrie Cain," Skulduggery moved and closed the gap so all her eyes could see were empty sockets.  
>"I can do better than you,"<br>"What like China? See it's so twisted when you would rather be with that murdering slag bucket then with someone like me."  
>"It's twisted that you don't think you are twisted-"<br>"Why China?" Darquesse circled on him, "why go to her?" Skulduggery eyed her and took his time before answering.  
>"She could get the resources I needed."<br>"So if she got you everything you needed why did you fail?" He didn't expect that and couldn't answer.  
>"I know you came looking for me, you followed me to Russia In the hope of doing whatever it was, but you failed."<br>"I did fail." Darquesse smiled but slowed down her circling until she stopped in front of Skulduggery. "But I didn't fail you, I failed Valkyrie. And I think its time you stopped trying to compete with her. Because guess what," He said pushing her backwards against hard bark that grazed her skin. He trapped her there with one arm resting on the trunk beside her head, his skull was incredibly close, finally he was going to get on with it and kiss her. "Will you never… be woman enough to take me."  
>He caught her off guard and threw a punch that connected with her chin and sent her tumbling to the ground. Darquesse stayed on the ground for a few moments trying to take in all the anger she was feeling right now so she could concentrate it and aim it back at Skulduggery. By the time she looked up he was gone.<p>

Darquesse roared again and stood quickly. She was spinning around looking for Skulduggery; she looked in the sky but could see nothing because it was so dark now. She was so consumed with her anger, her senses had gone erratic and fitful, and she didn't anticipate the person lurking in the shadows behind her. A hand came out of the darkness and shot blue electricity outwards hitting Darquesse square in the back. A blood-curdling scream erupted from her mouth as the continuous stream of blue shocked her giving her no time to recover. Her body convulsed as every second caused her more agonizing pain until her body went limp. The blue energy held her up until the watcher put down his hand and she slumped to the ground.

"Mevolent will be pleased." He said and her body was propelled into the back of a van.

Skulduggery rang China just before he reached the cave so she could deactivate the sigils and let him through. She ran through the opening cavern to the first room where everyone was waiting. They all looked up in unison when Skulduggery plummeted down the stairs with such speed they knew something was wrong.  
>"What happened," said Ghastly as Saskia ran forward to Skulduggery.<br>"I think that I may, possibly have angered the beast." Skulduggery said rather innocently.  
>"You think?" asked Saracen sceptically with a raised eyebrow and slight smile.<br>"No, I definitely have," he admitted. Tanith tutted and when Dexter struggled to contain his laughter she swatted him on the arm.  
>"Ouch." He said rubbing his throbbing arm. Tanith just scowled then laughed herself.<br>"Children," China interrupted. "I think we have a major problem here, can you concentrate for five minutes."  
>"Probably not, no." Ghastly said glumly turning to Skulduggery again.<br>"Skulduggery, what is Darquesse going to do?" His tone turned worried, the laughter stopped.  
>"I'm afraid I don't know, but I don't think she will go on a rampage. She knows if she does that then I won't help her and she's desperate to find her daughter's killer."<br>"She's mad and she's unpredictable. We can't afford to just wait around and see," China said, her fierce manner cutting through the air. "We need something to stop her, something we can use against a sorcerer as powerful as her."  
>"How about the God Killer's," Tanith suggested lightly grazing her chin with her fingers as she thought.<br>"They are scattered across the world," replied Skulduggery. "It could take weeks to find them and use them-"  
>"And not to mention the criminal charges we would face for stealing them." Anton interjected. Skulduggery cocked his head as he looked at him.<br>"Stealing them? You know where they are?" he asked.  
>"Well I know where one is and I know we would have a whole countries' wrath come down on us if we stole it from their Sanctuary."<br>"Which Sanctuary?" Ghastly asked. Tanith felt a light bulb flash above her head, she finished Anton's sentence.  
>"England. The sword is in the English Sanctuary."<br>Everyone looked dejected. Saskia gazed at the defeated faces around her. "That's bad right? We will never be able to steal it from the English Sanctuary." When no-one responded Saskia too felt the sorrow.  
>"We have to try," stated China, her arms folded and her expression filled with determination.<br>"Before we attempt to use God Killer's there is something else I want to try," Skulduggery said.  
>"Skulduggery…" Ghastly started. "You don't think this should come first? Do you even know what you want to try?"<br>"Yes." When he neglected to go in more detail Ghastly's hands roughly wiped his face.  
>"Well what do you need?" Tanith butted in, annoyed by Ghastly and China's resistance to help Skulduggery. "We need to exhaust every other possibility Ghastly, how can you be so ok with killing her when that's Valkyrie in there?"<br>"Don't be so naïve Tanith," scorned China. "We have no idea what she is capable of, we all know this. And when it comes down to it, in a fight between us and Darquesse we will lose, every time… unless we have the God Killer's." Tanith glared. Even Dexter and Saracen seemed irritated with China.  
>"I agree with China," Fletcher said sullenly.<br>"No one asked you Fletcher!" Tanith quipped glaring at him.  
>"No-one ever asks me, no one asks me about my ideas. I could be really useful against Darquesse."<br>"Darquesse knows you are a teleporter, idiot," Tanith said. "She will have a million ways to counteract your power, she knows we would use you. That's a given."  
>"You know my powers have evolved, I can teleport things without touching them now and without needing to teleport myself, I can teleport things to me and I can teleport parts of something. I could teleport away her hands or something."<br>"She would just grow them back," Said Dexter amused by Fletcher's whining. "He has a point though."  
>"You are not doing that Fletcher because Darquesse would know exactly who it was and she would kill you," said Tanith giving him a glower that made him shut up.<br>Clyro decided to cut into the conversation, "If I may add something?" He caught the attention of the room.  
>"I feel a faint sense of Darquesse, she must be far away but she is not feeling revenge at the moment. I can't quite get a clear view, her magic is all over the place. I assume whatever happened with her and Skulduggery had riled her and she is taking time to cool off."<br>"The last time that happened, even you said, she took down an aeroplane." Ghastly counted.  
>"True and I felt every single bit of her ferocious mental stability. This feels different." Ghastly didn't give a reply.<br>"If I leave now I can make it back by tomorrow night," said Skulduggery.  
>"And what if she does come back in that time?" China said bitterly.<p>

"Then we will deal with it," Tanith said walking to Skulduggery. "Go, and get something to save out friend." Skulduggery nodded and turned around heading back towards the Bentley. Saskia stepped forward and called to him, "Do you want me to come with you?" she received no answer.

When Darquesse finally managed to regain some sense of consciousness she had no idea where she had ended up. The faint smell of chemicals and grime and blood filled her nose, and even through the darkness she could make out white washed walls of what only could have been a hospital. Corridors sprouted out like spider's legs and she was been wheeled on some sort of bed deeper and deeper into the maze. She had no idea what turns they had taken, or which direction they were going in. she felt a sense of descending to the lower floors. Her body was still in so much pain that she couldn't heal herself. The electrical impulses in her brain were so erratic she couldn't focus on herself only the pain and the scenes in her blurry vision.

Finally the bed came to a jolted stop and she could see the movements of the person pushing her. She couldn't make them out at all, they just looked like a shadow to her. The things she could briefly focus on in the room were just junk until she saw another bed across the room. She glanced over the machinery that was surrounding it. Dragging her view over the blankets the bed looked as if it has been slept in recently, but it was empty. Abruptly a hand gripped her shoulders roughly and yanked her off the bed. A startled shout left Darquesse at the harshness. She was pulled through some double doors where she was pushed to the floor, skidding on her knees and landing on her face. Darquesse groaned not able to move.

"Wakey, wakey." A sharp voice echoed through the silence and ice-cold water was dumped onto Darquesse. She jolted with a scream, the ice freezing her nerve endings grating on her skin. She could barely contemplate the figure stood in front of her. Her breathing came in heavy pants, her hands on the floor in front of her and her knees on the polished floor. She brought her hand to her face and wiped her drenched hair from her face and over her head. It stuck to her skull and when she brought her hand back down she felt it start to tingle.  
>She noticed a light flickering on her hand and when she took a better look, even though it was taking most of her remaining strength just to breath and she noticed her hand was on fire. The moment she realised the fire spread down her arm and across her whole body, burning her clothes and turning her skin a wounded magenta. She screamed when the fire reached her skull and started to light her hair and blister her face. The strange sensation of having her eyeballs melt in her eye sockets overwhelmed her and then swiftly the fire was gone. She forced herself to mentally sort her fucking self out and healed her melted away skin. Her eyeballs reformed and her hair grew back and the skin re-grew over the exposed bone. She couldn't fix everything that was wrong with her body, but at least now she didn't have a mutilated one. Slumping back on the floor she heard footsteps circling her.<br>"I'm afraid I expected a little more from you Darquesse," the voice said. "I thought, you being a sorcerer that knows her true name may have put up a bit more of a fight."  
>"And who the hell… are you then?" Darquesse managed without moving.<br>"I am your un-doing," the voice replied. It was clearly a man's voice but Darquesse couldn't open her eyes to see him, and his voice was still circling her like she way his prey. She hated that, that's what she did to intimidate her victims; she didn't appreciate it being used to intimidate her. Who the hell was this deluded, lost soul? Because that is what he was going to become when she regained her strength.  
>"People… have said… that to me before. None of them… survived." Darquesse coughed out.<br>"Oh I know how good you are Darquesse. I also know that I am better. And since Skulduggery Pleasant interfered with my plan a little earlier than I expected him to, my visit had to be moved up slightly."  
>"Wow… another person… who hates Skulduggery Pleasant. Does no-one have anything better to do?"<br>"What makes you think I hate him?" the voice said with a laugh.  
>"Who doesn't?" Darquesse said blankly.<br>"Can't think of anyone. But to get to the point-"  
>"Haven't you made that… clear? Thought you trying to kill me, was high on your agenda."<br>"No, you misunderstand. Well of course you would. You are single minded and I need you to send a little message to my dear old friend, Skulduggery."  
>"And… what message would that be exactly?"<br>"Your mangled body of course." He said bringing his heavy booted foot down on Darquesse's back. There was a gut wrenching crack as her spine shattered.

Skulduggery was not looking forward to this meeting at all. Multiple towns had flashed by him as he drove to the run down pub his contact had said to meet. His contact was the reason he was not looking forward to it. It was none other than his old, pain in the back-side, Solomon Wreath.

The pub was called The Hanging Queen, one pathetic wall lamp above the door did a bad job at illuminating the corner of the street. The town reminded Skulduggery's of Ghastly town where he has he tailor shop, run down to keep everyone away. Maybe this town was full of sorcerers. No wonder Wreath chose this place.

Skulduggery entered the pub and was immediately hit with a strong smell of alcohol and mustiness. He spotted Wreath immediately in the booth in the far end darkened corner. There was a few middle aged men sat at the bar, drinking their feelings and at least three more passed out in various places around the room. The bar tender just nodded but wasn't interested. Skulduggery made his way to the booth and slipped into the opposite side.  
>"Long time no see." Solomon greeted.<br>"It was better that way." Solomon managed a brief smile. Skulduggery scrutinized him, he was wearing his usual black suit and his hair was the same as it had always been, but his face looked older. Not because he had aged but it was like recent years had worn him down. He didn't exude his normal confidence in the way he sat or the way he loosely gripped his cane. He looked weak.  
>"Not in this case I think. You need me or you wouldn't have contacted me." Solomon said in a tone that resembled the one Skulduggery remembered. Skulduggery scowled, he thought it was safer to wear his façade since he hadn't been to this place before. His hair was black and was ruffled in that messy yet stylish sort of way, and his pale skin looked slightly eerie against his navy suit.<br>"I'm interested to know how you obtained it, if you have actually got it."  
>"I have it, but before I give it to you, I want you to give me something in return."<br>"Of course, why would I expect anything less from you Solomon."  
>"Because you know my ways unfortunately, but I think this will be a price you are definitely willing to pay."<br>"I'm not agreeing to anything until you show me what I want." Solomon nodded, knowing he would not be able to change his mind.  
>"It wasn't easy finding, even a vials worth of Angel's Blood, you know," Solomon started. "I ran into a goblin one night, as I took a midnight stroll through one of my favourite graveyards and of course he attempted to kill me. He clearly didn't know who he was dealing with and after I killed him, rather quickly, I might add. I deduced his hiding place would be nearby. Funnily enough there was small cave hidden away near some graves at the back on cemetery, I explored it."<p>

"Why wouldn't you," Skulduggery replied sarcastically. Solomon narrowed his eyes but didn't retort. He  
>continued.<br>"I found it in his possession, of course I didn't know what it was at the time, until I got it verified."  
>"What possible tests could you have done to be certain that it was Angel's Blood." Skulduggery questioned.<br>"How much do you know about it?" Skulduggery paused for a moment, he didn't know much.  
>"I've heard it's a myth, that the ancients created a fluid from the most powerful and purest good magic they could obtain. What they created it for, I don't know."<br>"Well that's one version I suppose,"  
>"And what's your version?" Skulduggery quipped.<br>"The most powerful magic the Ancient's could find was excreted from the Faceless One's. They combined it with their own magic, all different branches to separate one of their own who got inhabited by a Faceless One. They succeeded to separate them, but the Ancient was never the same again. He was too far gone and ran straight off a cliff. What they had concocted was so unpredictable, they couldn't control it according to the man I spoke with, but it changed him in ways they didn't expect and in the end they tried to destroy it. Nothing worked, the combination of good and bad magic was too overpowering, it destroyed people in ways they couldn't reverse and then it was hidden forever. The location of the last vial, the only one left after they used the rest on the Faceless Ones in an attempt to use it instead of destroying it, was their biggest secret."  
>"I wonder how an average, run of the mill goblin got its hands on it."<br>"Of that, I am not certain," Solomon rubbed the top of his cane, a movement Skulduggery picked up as awkward. "You know, using it is a very high risk."  
>Skulduggery met his eyes, "I assume," Solomon continued. " You want to use it on Darquesse, to try and rid her of herself and bring back Valkyrie." Skulduggery didn't answer, because there was no way to deny it convincingly. "It could destroy her, it could do anything to her. Yes it was made for one purpose but who knows what it's capable of doing to her. There is a very high possibility that you don't get the results you are looking for."<br>"It's a chance I have to take," skulduggery finally said.  
>"I hope you are successful, Skulduggery. I really do. I miss Valkyrie too, she was an excellent student." Solomon looked out of the window they were seated by. Light rain had started and was tapping against the glass. "At one point, after the multiple disappoints of finding your original skull, when you were trapped with the Faceless Ones, I thought she would choose Necromancy. Obviously it doesn't matter now, I hear she can use any type of magic she wants."<br>"How would you know Solomon?" Skulduggery asked.  
>"There had been rumours about her for the past few years in Russia, apparently she made an appearance once but no-one has really seen her. It's strange really, everyone thought the forthcoming of Darquesse meant the end of the world. She must have found something she wanted to do first. If she ever does."<br>"I think it's time you prove you have the remaining vial of Angel's Blood Wreath," Skulduggery said getting down to business.  
>"Only, once you accept my offer. This, in exchange for my one stipulation." Solomon replied just as serious, if not desperate.<br>"What is it?" Skulduggery asked bitterly.

"I know the Sanctuary here has been destroyed, and I want your word that when it reforms I would like a guaranteed job." Skulduggery looked stunned, it took him a moment to take in what Wreath was asking.  
>"You want a job at the Sanctuary?"<br>"Something is coming Skulduggery, a sensitive very kindly gave me that snippet of information and I want to be on the good side when it all goes down."  
>"You want the protection that goes with it, to be surrounded by powerful sorcerers to hold your hand, you mean."<br>Solomon frowned, "I admit, these past years have been difficult for me and all I want to do in settle down in a place that's fluent with magic and not a stinking temple with idiots in black dressing gowns walking around. I want to retire if you will."  
>"I see," pondered Skulduggery.<br>"This has to be one of the easiest decisions you have had to make in your lifetime."  
>Skulduggery nodded, "Agreed," he said and he and Wreath shook hands.<br>"Now hand it over," Skulduggery commanded. Solomon took a small box from his inside pocket and slid it to the centre of the table. It was black velvet about the size of an engagement ring box, and once Skulduggery noticed the scene they were depicting he quickly snatched up the box. He didn't want to open it in public just in case there was anyone nosy around so he stood and slipped it into his chest pocket.

"If this isn't what it's supposed to be our deal is off and I will come and kill you Wreath, do you understand?"  
>Solomon gave a weak laugh. "I believe you."<p>

Skulduggery strode back to the Bentley and didn't look back. It wasn't until he read the air and registered no one on the streets nearby and the Bentley door was locked before he opened the box. The vial was the size of a coin, the glass was black so he couldn't see inside but there was a faint glow to it. His facade deactivated and he turned the vial over in his skeletal fingers sensing the power it encased. He dared to let a flicker of hope spark within him, but worried it would only bring his end faster.

The rain was heavy verging on a thunder storm when Skulduggery returned the following night. The Bentley was being pelted by all sides the lightning was lighting up the sky and the road ahead. He raced down the rickety overgrown road, swerving the sharp corners with ease. The trees lining the road made it impossible to see anything from his sides and behind him. But he raced none the less pushing his precious Bentley to its limits.  
>When he arrived he called China and he made his way to her office where they were waiting. The young trainees had gone to bed but the adults were still alert and awake as ever. They looked at Skulduggery expectantly when he walked in.<br>China was sat at her huge oak desk flitting through the many piles of books that were scattered across the top. Tanith, Saracen and Dexter were sat on the blood red sofa by a fake window depicting the night sky and fletcher was leant against the wall behind them with a frown and his arms crossed. Ghastly was sat in the arm chair, one leg crossed over the other and Clyro was stood with Anton, both looking like the typical vampire, pale skin and dark clothes, lurking in the corner. It was unsettling seeing them as a pair. Skulduggery didn't sit.  
>"Did you find what you needed?" Ghastly asked.<br>"I hope so," Skulduggery replied.  
>Ghastly didn't bother badgering him, he knew it was a waste of his time.<br>"We have found out where all the God Killer's reside. Apart from the Sceptre of course." China said sternly. "Anton had suggested we use his Midnight Hotel to travel to the different countries retrieve them and cut down on time. He has also offered us any resources he still has stored there."  
>Skulduggery nodded, "Have you figured out how we are going to get them?"<br>"Mostly," answered China.  
>Tanith scoffed, "or not at all." China resisted the urge to glare at Tanith but thought it would annoy her more if she just ignored her.<br>"We can figure out the plans on the way, The Midnight Hotel is located a few miles away."  
>Skulduggery nodded and was about to say something when he was thrown forward by something crashing through the stone ceiling above him in a mist of shadows and rubbles. He whipped around already having drawn his gun and aimed it at the mist. Everyone was on alert taking defensive positions as they surrounded the intruder. The shadows swirled away into the ground revealing the half dead crumpled body of Darquesse.<br>Darquesse quivered on the floor curled in-between the rubble as Skulduggery inched forward his gun aimed at her head.  
>"Darquesse?" Skulduggery said.<br>"H…he's back," she slurred.  
>"Who?"<br>"H… he…" Darquesse's words were becoming more difficult to say, she felt her mind drifting away again, slipping into the unconscious.  
>"Who's back Darquesse?" Skulduggery prodded.<br>"Mevolent."

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry it's taken so long to write this chapter, it has been difficult so i've been neglecting it and instead i've been writing furture scenes so it should be pretty smooth from now on.<strong>

**As you may have noticed i have used some direct scenes from the books, hope you can spot them and of course, Derek wrote those.**

**Please leave a review if you want, i love hearing everything anyone has to stay and thanks to everyone who reads it and does or doesn't review, i don't care i just want lots of Skulduggery love:]] **

**91 days to The Dying of the Light. Oh no.**


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: You may have noticed that I bumped up the rating last chapter, I wasn't sure if I should have done it earlier or not. I didn't think this story warranted an M rating just yet, even though there have been a few brief but explicit scenes. Anyway I had to change it ready for this chapter as it contains violence and bad language. Rating is now M.**

**Thank-you to everyone who has read and reviewed, I love reading every single one of them and I thank those who leave constructive criticism, it always helps.  
>Disclaimer: As always Derek Landy owns everything I want, including Skulduggery Pleasant.<strong>

**Following the Darquesse**

**Chapter Seven**

"What the hell is going on?" Ghastly shouted to Skulduggery, his voice was urgent and the strain was apparent as they thundered down the narrow, dark tunnel their many footsteps clanging and booming around them making it almost impossible for them to hear each other. Ghastly was running parallel to Dexter and in front of Tanith, despite their speed their breathing didn't appear to be anymore laboured than normal, it was probably due to their bodies adapting to centuries of intense situations. Their stamina was something to strive for, apart from Fletcher, he was huffing like he had just run a marathon, and not in a self-respecting time. China was leading them to her medical bay, which was just a little further up front, every so often she would glance over her shoulder and each time she would move a little quicker. Echoes of her clacking heels bounced all around the stone chambers as she moved, the corridors were bleak and cold from dis-use and once she stepped down three stone steps and pushed open two heavy metal doors a single dull light bulb flickered above their heads, they bounded in after China. From behind, Skulduggery who was carrying Darquesse in his arms rushed to lay her down on one of the metal beds Ghastly swung from the wall and positioned in the centre so they could start attaching the medical equipment.

"Did she say, who I think she said?" Dexter asked bewildered, the worry was clear in his voice. Most of them were working on instinct now, their bodies working from the adrenaline enabling them their hands and feet to ghost around without thinking.  
>"How can it possibly be Mevolent? He died in the war, he definitely died. Skulduggery?" Ghastly looked to him, a brief flash of despair crossing his face.<br>"I have no idea Ghastly. We have all lived for the past two hundred years believing Mevolent was dead. But maybe he isn't." Skulduggery ripped her top from the centre of her collar down to her chest so he could hook her up to the heart monitor. Skulduggery took the soft pads from Dexter who was passing them to him and stuck them to her chest, just in case they had to defibrillate her.

"Well if Darquesse is right, we have a bigger problem on our hands then we thought," Ghastly groaned.  
>"Obviously," China didn't look back at them as she raided the long, full length medicine cabinets. "Just look at the state of her." Each person was acting fluidly and fluently working as a team as they got Darquesse completely attached to the multiple machines and piled the metal trolleys with everything they thought they would need to repair her body. China almost wanted to apologise for her medical bay not being highly equipped, she rarely used anything other than her own magic to heal herself. They stopped and each one took a good look at her frail and broken form, she had passed out straight after she uttered Mevolent's name.<br>"How did he manage to do this to her? I thought she was pretty much unstoppable, it shouldn't be affecting her this bad, should it?" Dexter said wiping a few stray hairs from her sweaty forehead, she was shivering but her skin was hot to touch.  
>"Well that put an end to your theory doesn't it?" Saracen said glumly as he entered the room later than the rest with Clyro hot on his heels. While the others had rushed to the medical bay, Saracen had cornered Clyro determined to get some answers out of him, since his power gave him the advantage in those circumstances.<p>

"There is no way Mevolent is still alive," Dexter denied sternly still stroking his fingers through Darquesse's hair. Skulduggery followed Dexter's fingers with his eyes and his head tilted to the side when he noticed something. He gestured to Dexter to pause his hand for a moment. Skulduggery drew her hair to the side and hunkered down so he could get a better view of her neck. He slipped his hand around the back and slowly tilted her head the other way.  
>"What is it?" Ghastly asked coming to stand at his shoulder.<br>"It seems that she was stabbed with something, there's a centimetre hole in the centre of her neck, probably from a needle." Skulduggery said roughly, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.  
>"Biggest needle I've ever seen," Saracen said peering over too. China dumped a load of tablet containers on the metal trolley and then peeked at the hole in Darquesse's neck. "That's too small to be used as torture, he had to have injected her with something and an awful lot of it. Probably something to make her compliant, I'm still surprised they got to her in the first place."<br>Skulduggery nodded his head once and stood straight. "It would seem that China is right," confirmed Skulduggery. "So he injected her with something but to do what? If he wanted to kill her, she wouldn't be here right now. If he injected her with something to keep her weak why let her escape?"  
>"He always was a nasty basterd," Saracen gave an awkward smile when Skulduggery and Ghastly turned to look at him. "What if he injected her with something and then sent her back here to finish us off?" Saracen continued with a tense gulp, he didn't like the way Skulduggery was looking at him.<br>"What if she starts eating our brains?" asked Fletcher who had teleported in without anyone realising, he felt out of place as everyone rushed around the room fussing over the girl who was laid in the bed. Leaning against one of the counters on the back wall with his arms folded, Fletcher did nothing to help.  
>"Fletcher, don't be stupid." Tanith started moving from Ghastly's shoulder and thumped him on the arm. "That's not going to happen."<br>"How do you know? What's even wrong with her?" The silence that greeted his question told him clearly. They really were out of their depth, even with their abilities and years of life experience. "Why are you helping her?" The whole room turned and stared at him making him uneasy under the intensity. Feeling his mouth go dry he quickly swallowed and took a deep breath. "She's been foreseen to destroy the world with nothing be able to go up against. If something has finally hurt why don't we let it do what it was meant to do?"  
>"Could you really do that?" Skulduggery asked clearly, his voice crisps but emotionless as his head turned to look at Fletcher. "Can you stand there and watch her die in front of you? All she has done since she returned is help us, if you are not willing to help then you should step out."<br>"How are you going to fix her if you don't even know what's wrong with her?" They left Fletcher's question unanswered leaving him to sulk in the corner.

China walked over handing Skulduggery a selection of glass bottles in a small plastic crate and started giving them one by one over to him. The first was a small bottle of green liquid and it sloshed about against the glass. It was some sort of anti-infection or sterile substance and he injected it into Darquesse's arm. Nothing seemed to happen no matter how many things they tried and her heart rate on the monitors was down to one beat every ten seconds.  
>"Clyro has something that may help," Saracen stated looking over to Clyro like the rest. Clyro slowly stepped forward, no-one had acknowledged him since he walked in with Saracen. He didn't mind but he knew they were going to find nothing to help, only he had what would save her. He had watched them raise their voices, arguing about what they were actually going to do, which was to be decided since they had no flipping idea. Now all eyes were trained on him.<br>"Darquesse and I managed to acquire this and I'm glad I'm the one that kept it, otherwise it would probably have been destroyed." he said stepping forward to the bed. Skulduggery watched him carefully as Clyro came and stood next to him.  
>"What would really help is someone who is a genius." China stated making sure none of the blood that had soaked Darquesse's clothes ended up on her expensive attire. There was so much blood it just looked like a glaze over her black clothing, her pale skin showed the extent of her blood loss.<br>"Look no further," Dexter said with a forced smile. "Here I am." Tanith jabbed him in the back causing him to squeal and then scowl at her for showing his weak side to everyone. He didn't mind being jabbed, not at this point in time but brightening the mood was going to affect nobody.  
>"Ok, I'll re-phrase." China continued rolling her eyes in frustration. "What we need is an <em>adult<em> who happens to know a lot about the anatomy and the medical applications of magic." Their hands had ceased working on Darquesse because nothing was changing, her heart beat was rare and her skin was cold. Her body was rigid and stiff and her eyes hadn't fluttered once since they had closed. They were just about to give up, all except Skulduggery who was still rummaging around the crate of solutions and injecting her with the different labelled bottles.

"Then I think I have exactly what you need," eyebrows rose all around. "Or more what _she _needs." Clyro finished nodding his head at Darquesse in the bed. "We found this at your Sanctuary," Clyro started pulling out a wooden box about the size of a hand from his overcoat. The box was square and had four short glass legs steaming from the bottom. Clyro held out his hand and offered it to Skulduggery without hesitation. "I wonder if you were keen to the fact that they had it hidden away in there. But intuition tells me that you probably didn't."  
>Skulduggery scrutinized the box and then Clyro, before finally opening it. The moment the box was opened a blue light spilled out, a flickering, slightly transparent image of Kenspeckle Grouse appeared from the box.<br>"You are certainly right Clyro," Skulduggery started meeting eyes with Kenspeckle who was hysterically taking in his surroundings. "I did not know our Sanctuary had an echo stone imprinted with Kenspeckle Grouse."  
>"I thought not," Clyro said. He caught the look Skulduggery sent to Ghastly but from his expression back, he had no idea either that Kenspeckle had even made an echo stone, never mind that his great mind still could be accessed and it was under their noses all this time.<p>

Kenspeckle was flustered from his startling activation and it was completely new to him. Of course he knew that he was dead if they had to activate his echo stone, but it didn't sooth his irritated mood that Skulduggery was the first person he saw.  
>"I'm dead." he said looking to the rest of the group, he was trying out the words on his tongue, they didn't taste nice. "Well of course I am, or you idiots wouldn't be looking at me like you had just seen a ghost." He folded his arms and stared back at them, tired of their gazes not leaving his face, if he was still alive all this attention would have definitely made him blush, and grumpy.<br>"What do you want Skulduggery?" Kenspeckle growled, Skulduggery moved to the side creating a gap that Kenspeckle could see through between him and Clyro. His face dropped when he saw a very nearly dead looking Valkyrie on the table. He rushed forward barging the two men out of the way, even Skulduggery was surprised when he felt himself be nudged to the side. "What have you done?" he yelled at Skulduggery. Dexter pointed out that Kenspeckle was an echo stone and therefore could not touch her just before he growled back at him. "Of course I can touch her you fool," he spat just as his hands started examining her body quickly and thoroughly without going right through her like a projection. "Who do you think modified my echo stone so it wouldn't be as limited? I knew I would need a physical body for times like these." Kenspeckle peered at Skulduggery, his eyes narrow and hard. "Couldn't help yourself could you-?" Kenspeckle suddenly stopped his accusations on Skulduggery when his fingers felt something under Darquesse's back.  
>"This is worse than I thought," he said quietly. Skulduggery stood at his shoulder, unfazed by Kenspleckle's little outburst towards him.<br>"What is it?" he demanded. Everyone's eyes were worried but Kenspeckle's were calm and determined.  
>"We need to turn her onto her front," he said ignoring Skulduggery at first while he whipped off all the wires on Darquesse's body in preparation to turn her over.<br>"Kenspeckle," Skulduggery said his voice dangerously low. "What is going on?" Kenspeckle let out a frustrated sigh before he looked to Skulduggery over his shoulder, meeting his stare with an equally unfriendly one.  
>"I'm surprised you didn't notice… but it would appear that her spine has been broken in two, now I could try and help her before she dies or she's paralysed or I could stand here and waste time by answering all your silly questions."<br>Skulduggery nodded but didn't say another thing as Kenspeckle instructed him, Dexter and Ghastly in turning her over doing the least damage possible.

Kenspeckle had worked for hours after kicking everyone else out of the room, he hated having an audience when he was trying to save a person's life, but Skulduggery was someone he just could not get to leave. He watched silently from his chair trying not to distract Kenspeckle but found it hard watching and doing nothing to help.  
>"How did this happen?" Kenspeckle asked Skulduggery coldly. Skulduggery was sat by Darquesse's bed in a chair watching her sleeping form. It had been an hour since Kenspeckle had finished working on her, the rest had gone to gather everything they needed for their mission of retrieving the god killers, and Skulduggery hadn't wanted to leave her side.<br>Kenspeckle's tone was softer than it had been earlier when he was addressing Skulduggery, he had spent at least ten minutes just watching Skulduggery take her hand and stroke it gently. He had stood at the opposite side of the bed when Skulduggery looked up.  
>"We don't know what happened, she returned like this."<br>"And she didn't say who had done this to her?"  
>"She did." Kenspeckle's eyebrow rose.<br>"Who was it?"  
>"Mevolent."<br>Kenspeckle faulted, his voice was almost lost in his throat. "She said it was… Mevolent? How can that possibly be?" Before Skulduggery could answer Kenspeckle continued in his usual manner. "Well, I don't know why I am surprised, you power hungry ones never fail to return from the dead. Always making it impossible for the rest of us to live in peace, I guess it's a good job I'm dead."  
>"As I recall," Skulduggery started, "It wasn't a nice death." Kenspeckle eyed him before saying, "Yes I know, I heard it was Clarabelle, she was a funny one, that girl."<br>Skulduggery tilted his head to the side and considered Kenspeckle who was checking over Darquesse's healing body.  
>"How did you know it was Clarabelle?"<br>"Someone told me," Kenspeckle replied not skipping a beat.  
>"Like who?" Kenspeckle met Skulduggery's gaze across the bed, he wasn't sure if he should answer or not but decided some things Skulduggery just didn't need to know.<br>"It's not important Skulduggery, the only thing that's important is that thankfully, I managed to realign all of Valkyrie's bones and there should be no more internal injuries. It's just waiting for her to wake up now, which shouldn't be too long," he said finishing his examination by finally putting two fingers on her wrist and feeling a strong hearty pulse. "Considering the speed at which she is healing. I'm astounded."  
>"This isn't Valkyrie," Skulduggery said only just realising that Kenspeckle thought he was treating Valkyrie all along, of course how could he of known that she in fact was Darquesse.<br>"Excuse me?" Kenspeckle drawled, he shuffled out of the room not wanting to disturb the girl on the bed and entered the room next door. Skulduggery gave Darquesse's hand a gently squeeze before following Kenspeckle into the other room.

Skulduggery stood by the wall next to the door he had just came through and watched Kenspeckle shuttle around like he used to do in the Hibernian Cinema.  
>"That isn't Valkyrie Grouse, its Darquesse." Kenspeckle turned to see Skulduggery lent against the wall with his arms folded and he knew he was being watched very carefully for his reaction.<br>"I see. So Valkyrie is Darquesse. That's a new one on me."  
>"You don't seem very surprised." Kenspeckle shrugged at him.<br>"In our world and after all the things I have seen, not many things surprise me anymore… now Mevolent not really having died in the war- that surprises me and terrifies me."  
>"We are sure to construct a plan so we can finish him off for good." Skulduggery explained the venom in his voice was clearly heard by Kenspeckle.<br>"You are too angry for your own good Skulduggery… and hers." He nodded his head in the direction of the door they had just walked through. "I hope you have a plan to fix her without doing more damage, if that was possible."  
>Skulduggery didn't answer his question instead he walked back through the door, looked over Darquesse sleeping one more time and said over his shoulder, "inform me as soon as she awakens." And then he was gone.<p>

"Are you crazy? Of course Mevolent isn't back! This is absolutely ridiculous." China had been ranting even before Skulduggery had entered her office, she was pacing quickly back and forth in front of her bookcase determined not to believe what she was being told no matter how much the others tried to convince her.  
>"China," Ghastly said gently. "You need to calm down."<br>"I can't calm down. Do you have any idea what this means, if Mevolent _is _back? We are pretty much doomed."  
>"What a way to keep the morale high China," Dexter said teasingly. She scowled at him but realised she was the only person in the room that was panicking.<br>"What is with you people?" she almost yelled a rare occurrence for her. She couldn't understand how everyone wasn't running around screaming, but she figured she was the only one that used to work for Mevolent and eventually withdrew from his side. If he was alive he would come after her.  
>"What do you suggest we do China?" Skulduggery asked stopping her pacing and catching her off guard. China scrutinized his face and when she folded her arms she said a quiet, "I'm afraid I don't know what to do."<br>"Ok," Skulduggery said clapping his hands and catching the attention of everyone in the room. "I suggest we go and get the God killers." Skulduggery was met with a round of silence. The looks he got from Ghastly and Tanith were that of worry, Dexter, Saracen were positively giddy with the thought. Anton's face was impassive as usual and Clyro's was unreadable.  
>"Skulduggery, you want us to go and collect the God-Killer's? We don't even know where they are? How are we meant to do that?" Ghastly was surprised his friend had even suggested it, he turned to Tanith who gave him a warm smile slipping her hand into his and nodding.<br>"I think it's a good idea and it's the only one we have so… let's get ready to rumble." Tanith said. Ghastly raised one eyebrow and peered at her with a smirk.  
>"Did you just quote-"<br>"Yes I did now let's move on." Ghastly struggled to subdue his laughter, Saracen who was sat on the opposite side of Tanith also let out a tiny snort.  
>"Children," China bit in.<br>"Slapper." Tanith commented back casually, before an actual bitch fight started Skulduggery interrupted.  
>"Look we need a weapon, a weapon big enough to go against Mevolent, if it is him. If it wasn't him then we should be able to clean up this mess very quickly, regardless."<br>"What about Darquesse?" Saracen asked. "She's a weapon herself." Skulduggery shook his head slightly.  
>"We can't rely on her, she was targeted and it worked pretty well. They knew she was powerful that's why they injected her with some sort of paralytic. Kenspeckle is working to find the ingredients and such now, he barely managed to reverse the effects in time."<br>"Right so if Darquesse barely stood a chance then neither would we really. I say we go and get ourselves some God-Killer's. I always wanted to know what I would look like with a sword." Saracen joked.  
>"Like a dwarf probably," Tanith jested with a smirk of her own. "You couldn't handle a sword, but I'm sure the dagger would fit more to your size. Saracen's face was starting to go red with all the teasing, but suddenly his face went serious and his eyes flicked to the door.<p>

When Darquesse finally woke she was in a room she didn't recognise. The walls around her were white but the cool blue, lighting gave the room a sombre effect. There were multiple machines on stands and carts tucked back against the back wall, each one linking to one of the many wires attached to her body. She looked down at the crisp white sheets that were laced with sweat, her body was hot but at least the pain had died down. She pressed her hands down on the bed at either side of her and pushed herself up to a sitting position. Her arms were still shaky and her back cracked a few times as she stretched.  
>"Ow," she mumbled to herself. Upon hearing her voice Kenspeckle had walked into the room and stood beside her bed. Darquesse looked over his blue, hazy image and couldn't help but smile at the friendly face, because of course Kenspeckle always had a friendly face for Valkyrie.<br>"How are you feeling Darquesse?" he asked gently pouring the jug of cold, icy water he was holding into a glass and handed it to her.  
>"I've been better." she managed a weak smile but she felt absolutely drained. "That bastard stabbed me with a needle and totally fucked me over." She took the glass from his hand and downed the whole thing, it made a refreshing sensation as it passed down her throat and past her chest. She let out a satisfied sigh.<br>"Well luckily I managed to counteract the substance but I have to admit Darquesse, it was very hard even for me. I've barely seen any of the ingredients that were used and the structure of the virus itself was very complex."  
>"A virus? That's what I was injected with."<br>"As far as I can tell but no lasting effects. You got back here just in time."  
>"Well thanks doc," She said swinging her feet round and off the bed. "But I think I can handle it from here." Kenspeckle gave her a concerned look but was powerless to stop her from leaving, no matter how much he wanted to do more tests.<br>"Darquesse," he said causing her to turn and face him, her arms folded. "Do you really think it's wise following Skulduggery around especially after all this time apart?"  
>"I don't follow anyone around Kenspeckle, and being apart from him for so long… is the exact reason why I need to be with him now."<br>"But you nearly died, he left you and you nearly died. Have you forgotten about that?"  
>"No I haven't forgotten."<br>"Why didn't you fight back? Why didn't you stop them from hurting you?"  
>"I was jumped from behind," Kenspeckle's eyes opened wider. Darquesse rolled her eyes and tutted. "I might be good Kenspeckle but I don't have eyes in the back of my head, and as soon as the lightning thing hit me I couldn't focus. It was like my mind just turned off."<br>"And you are still willing to help him?" Darquesse folded her arms in a slightly defensive position.  
>"Contrary to many people's beliefs Kenspeckle, I'm a complex person too you know. I have my own reasons for doing the things I do. Can you say the same now that you are dead? Are you still willing to help people like you used to or are you just going to wonder around, aimlessly flickering and imposing your judgments on us?"<br>"I will always help people if they need it."  
>"Good," Darquesse said unfolding her arms and making her tone friendlier. "So what did you find out in the Sanctuary since the last time I saw you there?"<br>"You were right when you thought someone was going to sneak into the Sanctuary. I'm sure they got in through legitimate ways though, no alarms were set off, and Ghastly and Madame Mist were acting completely normal."  
>"So there was a traitor in the Sanctuary?"<br>"Quite possibly, yes. But before you ask I have no idea who it could have been. You should ask Ravel and Madame Mist."  
>"I would but they are both dead." Kenspeckle's eyes widen his mouth slightly open, his mind uncomprehending.<br>"What?"  
>"There was a blast at the Sanctuary Kenspeckle, Mist died in the building like everyone else, Ghastly was the only survivor and Ravel was in American on business, he was killed before the Sanctuary was destroyed. I thought Skulduggery had told you all this."<br>"Why would he tell me anything, you know we don't get along."  
>"Because you are always taking digs at him and no matter who you are, that's bound to get annoying."<br>"He will be the death of you, you know." His tone had turned serious.  
>"Haven't you heard doc," she flashed him an insidious grin. "I'm invincible." Kenspeckle let her go, not saying anything until she was out of ear shot.<br>"I would love for that to be true my dear…"

Darquesse found multiple voices coming from China's office, it seemed like Darquesse was missing the party. Entering the room Saracen was the first to notice her and in turn everyone looked to see her arrival.  
>"Wow, you make me feel famous with all the attention, I should be blushing right now." Darquesse said casually sitting down next to Clyro, he glossed over her in his peripheral vision and couldn't help the smirk appearing on his translucent face.<br>"Sorry Honey, only people with talent get famous." China sniggered. Darquesse gave her a gentle smile as the amusement built up within her.  
>"You're right China, I guess that's why you're not famous. Been living in a hole for years, hardly a celebrity lifestyle." China pursed her lips but didn't want to start another pointless trading of insults.<br>"Please can we not fight." Ghastly interrupted his tone gentle but worn, he rubbed his forehead with his fingers and thumb before turning to Darquesse. "Darquesse, how are you feeling?" The concern in Ghastly's voice genuine and she couldn't help being glad to be back in his presence.  
>"Like someone stomped on my spine but please continue." She answered with a cheeky smile, which Ghastly returned for a short second.<br>"Was it really Mevolent who attacked you?"  
>"Who else would it have been Ghastly? You saw what condition I was in when I barely made it back, anyone you know who could do that?"<br>"Well no, but we need to be certain Darquesse. Can you give us your certainty?"  
>"If you're wrong-" China started.<br>"I'm not wrong."  
>As Darquesse looked around the room all eyes were trained on her, she saw the doubt and the desperation in their eyes. They were hoping and pleading to themselves that she would say she wasn't one hundred per cent certain, but to lie to them now may ease their distress at the moment, but once Mevolent came for them it would only cause them more harm. They would be in more danger if they didn't know he was coming.<br>Ghastly's eyes were openly waiting for her answer, the severity clouded over Darquesse's face and it didn't waver. Ghastly's hope faulted like the rest of them. Darquesse pulled her eyes from the floor where they had shifted to escape the pressure of the pleading people around her.  
>"Sorry Ghastly, I'm sure. I wasn't mistaken, he was Mevolent. I don't know how but he didn't die in the war, he survived and he was able to keep that secret from the world. I believe someone is helping him."<br>"I doubt he could have kept that a secret from the entire world, I mean to fool the global magical community would take quite a bit of power. Who would even help him anyway?" Saracen wondered.  
>"Any one of his minions we didn't capture or end up killing could have volunteered." Dexter said.<br>"Say China, weren't you one of his puppets during the war, is it you helping him?" Darquesse was amused, especially when China's eyes turned a dangerous black as they stared at her, she just returned her glare with a slight smile.  
>"Before things spin out of control I would suggest that we leave any time around… now." Skulduggery commanded. China waved Skulduggery off and took a few steps towards the smug looking woman sat down in front of her.<br>"I'm sorry but are you accusing me of orchestrating all this?" Darquesse didn't flinch at the acid in China's voice and hers came off cool and calm, which only irritated China more.  
>"As I recall, you are the only one in this room that has ever worked for him before. You do the maths."<br>"You have never seen him before you stupid girl, how can we take anything you say as truth?"  
>"He's eight foot tall, scowly face, massive sword."<br>"Damn," Saracen coughed in the background.  
>"You have no proof." China growled.<br>"I'm sorry, did you want me to whip out my phone and take a quick snap of him? Because in normal situations I probably would have done, but the giant sword that he stabbed me in the back with kind of took up all of my thinking space." Darquesse retorted, she hadn't moved from the sofa she was sat on but her tone was grave. China didn't have an answer, which led Skulduggery to stand up, announce their plans and usher everyone from the room so they could leave within the hour.

Skulduggery quickly hurried to China's desk and gathered every document they had on the God-killer's. They were going to have to scrape together the finer details of the multiple robberies they were about to commit. No-one seemed too fazed, which was good in Skulduggery's eyes. If stealing from the other Sanctuaries around the world caused uproar, then defeating Mevolent would easily solve that problem. But defeating Mevolent was a much bigger problem entirely. They all have a reason for breaking the laws of whatever, but saving the world would probably work in their favour.

Having collecting a pile of crinkled papers on the edge of the desk, Skulduggery swiftly scoped the room one last time for anything else of significance, when he heard a groaning from behind him. Darquesse was attempting to get off the sofa but was clutching at her side with one arm and a pained expression on her face.  
>"Are you ok?" Skulduggery questioned immediately without thought, his tone wasn't quite concerned but he stopped what he was doing to hear her answer. Darquesse eyed him before standing shakily gathering her strength to stretch her side and stand to her full height, ignoring the steady gaze coming from the skeleton.<br>"It just hurts." She didn't like being venerable but she was hoping to use it as a method to spark a connection with Skulduggery. She just never anticipated that she wouldn't like being venerable, even in front of him and the way he was looking at her now, like she was broken was not the light she wanted him to see her in.  
>Skulduggery had his full attention on her but it seemed Darquesse was avoiding his gaze.<br>"I'm sorry for leaving you," Skulduggery apologised, not knowing what her reaction was going to be, he was testing the waters.  
>"You're not the first to do it, you won't be the last. I'll get over it." She replied casually as she searched around for her leather jacket, slipping her arms into it and pulling it over her shoulders. Her side killed, she had never had to deal with pain injuries because she always healed herself. But her power where she draws all her strength from was a struggling flicker, compared to the incandescent blaze it usually was. Her thoughts on Mevolent came down to one basic entity, he was making her suffer and now she would crawl into every vain of his being and chew him up with her teeth. Metaphorically speaking, there was no way she would put something like him in her mouth. Been there done that.<br>"Darquesse-"  
>"We should go, there's work to be done." Striding towards the door she planned to leave but couldn't force herself to when his sultry voice continued.<br>"I would never intentionally hurt you." Darquesse fought against her better instincts but her eyes couldn't help flicking to his eye sockets and then they were stuck.  
>"I wish that was true but, it's… Valkyrie you would never intentionally hurt, not me. I'm… nothing to you… to any of you. And the faster I get over that the faster I can leave you lot in peace, and I can get on with my life."<br>"That's not-"  
>"It's fine Skulduggery, I finally get it. I'm nothing but a weapon, that's ok because once I've done your dirty work for you, you can all go back to your precious lives. I won't hassle you any longer." Skulduggery quickly intercepted her final strides towards the door and physically body blocking her. He was too quick and she ended up walking straight into his chest. When she bounced away Skulduggery expertly took her wrists to keep her from falling and to keep her close. Her reflexes should have been faster than that so it was obvious she intentionally let herself fall.<br>"You have no idea what is going on here, do you?" Skulduggery said, his voice remaining calm as ever.  
>"Why don't you enlighten me then."<br>"I see that it wouldn't make a difference and that is a shame."  
>"No, what's a shame is that you have yet to start trusting me."<br>"Why would I make a foolish mistake like that?" Skulduggery's skull was so close to hers, she could feel the soft fabric of his gloves around her wrists, holding them tightly, and his suit was lush against her body. She hoped that Skulduggery would pull her flush against him so he could feel more of her. She wasn't getting that vibe.  
>"Would you rather take a chance that could be a foolish mistake, or take no chance at all and look forward to your inevitable death beside your friends? Because believe me, I'm probably the only person who could endure a fight with Mevolent for more than five seconds."<br>"It feels like you have no faith in me," Skulduggery said sarcastically.  
>"I don't want to have to watch your light go out, you are far too important." She replied more seriously.<br>"Really? To who?" gesturing his hand nonchalantly after finally letting go of her wrists. She was a little disappointed at the loss of contact.  
>"Everyone. You're their leader, you're going to be the one to lead them to their willing deaths. No-one else could do the job that you do." She closed the gap between them, pressing herself hard into him. "You must be exhausted trying to live up to everyone's expectations, because of mistakes you've made in the past. I can help you, Skulduggery. You just have to let me." Darquesse trailed her hands up his shirt, feeling the gaps between his ribs under the fabric. Her fingers ran under his collar and accidentally pressed the sigil on his collarbone. A full fleshed face ripped before her eyes, she liked this one. His dark hair curved down to his cheekbone, his eyes were half closed, his face angled towards hers.<br>"Why are you doing this again?" he said with a slightly frustrated sigh.  
>"Because I know you want it," she answered quietly and confidently.<br>"I doubt your mind could possibly comprehend what I want."  
>"Beg to differ," the low tones of her voice rolling off her tongue was the only sound in the room before she leaned forward slowly, so Skulduggery could see it happening, and closed her lips onto his. Pushing up on her tiptoes, she started to kiss him hard.<br>Skulduggery found himself caught up in the moment, despite him knowing where it was heading the minute her glossy, laced with lust eyes pierced him. He let Darquesse breath into him, it had already gone on for far too long but he couldn't push her away from him. He felt her hands grasping at his neck raggedly pulling on his collar in an effort to get him to kiss her faster. He felt his hands grip her waist, he didn't even realise he was holding her, but when his hand slide a bit further north and his thumb grazed a bit too hard on her ribs, she hissed in pain into his mouth. This gave Skulduggery some clarity back and he pushed her back, gently but firmly and kept her at arm's length so she couldn't continue her assault on him.  
>Darquesse glared at him darkly but didn't fight against his restraint. Once his breath had returned, Skulduggery let go off Darquesse meeting her stare, he noticed she had started to shake and she was trying very hard to hide it from him, and failing at doing so.<p>

Skulduggery adjusted his clothing before deactivating his facade before looking up to some very peeved eyes.  
>"Do you think I don't know what you are feeling?" she asked harshly. "You can't hide that from me, I see every sodding colour of your emotions bloody fluttering around you."<br>"You're way of stealing personal information is quite the invasion of privacy you know, I should have you fined. But the circumstances may cause some unwanted difficulties." Darquesse frowned, her lips drew into a straight line when she had realised Skulduggery was still mocking her.  
>"You don't even take me seriously do you?"<br>"I find it hard to." Skulduggery said not skipping a beat.  
>"That because I'm not China or Tanith or Saskia? I'm not one of those that foams at the mouth, hanging on your every word."<br>"They don't foam exactly," Skulduggery replied amused which only increased the irritation that was bubbling under the surface of Darquesse's skin. She didn't like being mocked especially by someone she thought understood her and everything she were about.  
>"One minute you act like it's a disaster I'm even around, the next you are kissing me back." She stepped back and considered that for a moment. "Maybe you being so indecisive isn't because you think I'm evil murdering bitch but… you feel guilty that you didn't stop me taking over Valkyrie in the first place." Skulduggery's amusement had disappeared.<br>"You two were so close and yet never close enough and you let her go through some traumatising things."

Darquesse folded her arms knowing that Skulduggery was taking in every stone cold word. "Thinking about it, did you ever really show her that she meant anything to you? Always finding the basics traditions of friendship silly and childish. You begrudgingly got her a birthday present after making her feel guilty about expecting one from you, it took you forever to say thank you when she rescued your arse from being the faceless One's torture toy," her voice had reached levels so low she was practically growling, leaving her a little breathless.  
>Dark shadowy eyes met empty sockets and her voice went down to a whisper, "telling the elders in the first place about her condition, getting the ball rolling on events still on-going seven years later. Why are you fighting for her when it never really seemed that you cared that much?" She saw a flash of crimson spray across his aura and he stepped forward grabbing her by the collar and yanking her forward.<br>"You have no idea how I feel about Valkyrie and believe _me _when I say if you try and taint her name I will hunt you down and personally put you in the ground."  
>"You made her feel like being normal was such a waste of time when it could have saved her. She followed you because her life with you was so amazing, you were her world but she wasn't good enough for you, you let her follow in the shadows of people like China. She felt insignificant when she was your partner."<br>"I know that's not how Valkyrie felt."  
>"Who do you think I am?" Shoving his hands away from her roughly Darquesse neglected to say anything before strutting out, leaving Skulduggery powerless to do anything but watch.<p>

Darquesse was absolutely fucking done with people wanting her to revert back into Valkyrie. She was sick to the back teeth of people in general and that was purely annoying in itself. Other people never used to be a blip on her radar. Remembering the few times she emerged back when Valkyrie was still playing sidekick, all she wanted to do was terrorize things, blow things up and feel the ecstasy of freedom. But fully taking over left her with all the weight of Valkyrie's problems and lead to what would become a man hunt that took years and was still not over.  
>Grinding her teeth she tried to keep a clear head, her feet her hammering down on the ground when she couldn't forcibly remove the thoughts from her head. She had to forget any cares and get back to her old self. It was time to stop trying to please Skulduggery, get on with the job and then get the fuck away from this god-forsaken country.<p>

The Bentley and Darquesse's black Range Rover were parked facing the waterfall obscuring the cave from view. All the doors were open as various bags and boxes were fumbled into the boots and onto the seats. Ghastly was organising the seating arrangements and without worrying, assigned everyone a convenient seat considering both numbers and space. There was only China, Tanith and Fletcher travelling in the Bentley with Ghastly and Skulduggery, the rest could easily fit in the other vehicle.  
>Saskia pulled along her bag of basic things and was about to hop into the rover, she had one foot in the back before she stopped.<br>"Why did you stop?" Shining asked who was right behind her and wasn't paying too much attention and ended up head butting her in the back. Saskia let out an involuntary squeak before composing herself.  
>"Wasn't this car purple before?" she stared at the car, a confused expression on her face.<br>"No, it's always been black," Shining answered. "Remember, we were in it when we came from the training facility and it was definitely black."  
>"Yes but when we were in Roarhaven, it was purple." Saskia countered feeling more confused by the minute, trying to remember the few times she had seen the car before.<br>"Are you sure?" Saskia finally bundled into the car with Shining and the three other teens.  
>"So does it change colour or something?" The five were silenced from their conversation when a smooth voice spoke up from the driver's seat.<br>"It does indeed change colour," Clyro said forcing the others to turn around so they had to look at his unturned back.  
>"How does it do that?" Shining asked intrigued kneeling up on the seat against the front compartment.<br>"Magic," Clyro replied simply with a smile.  
>"Can you change it to the colour blue?" Blue asked with enthusiasm.<br>"No, it only switches between black and purple depending on which mode it's in." Clyro expanded briefly.  
>"Mode?" Shining's eyebrows rose slightly.<br>"This vehicle had two modes each that come with its own specifics abilities and colour. When the vehicle is in defensive mode or turned off the outside is black, when it's in attack mode it changes to purple, the inside also changes too, provides Darquesse with an endless amount of weapons and tools."  
>"So that's why it was purple when we were in Roarhaven?" Saskia inquired. "When the sanctuary had been destroyed and we were trying to get away." Clyro merely nodded in response.<br>"Hang on," Shining interrupted. "How does it know when to change? I mean it is just a car after all, how does it sense the situation?"  
>"It reacts to Darquesse's mood, if she's being attacked it senses her and bends to her will. It can produce anything she needs and that's why it's one of her most prized possessions."<br>"Where did she get it from?" Pondered Blue.  
>"Now that's a secret," Clyro finished, the silence after confirmed to the rest that the conversation was over and he wasn't going to answer any more questions.<p>

Instead, their attention was drawn to Ghastly who was struggling in trying to pull Sanguine over to the back of the Range Rover while his hands were still in magic-draining handcuffs.  
>"Would you keep still for just one second," Ghastly heaved, wildly throwing Sanguine from one side to the other in order to counter his weight, kicking out his legs and digging them into the ground and then letting his body go limp, Sanguine was trying his damn hardest to not get shoved in the boot.<br>"Why would I do that? I'm not going to help you, you're holding me prisoner." Sanguine snarled trying to drag his feet along the ground in the most awkward way possible just to piss off Ghastly more.  
>"Stop being a cock and get in the boot." Ghastly grumbled.<br>"I'm claustrophobic you imbecile,"  
>"Why would you tell your enemy what you have a fear of? That's crap. Now get in." Ghastly and Sanguine struggled some more, so distracted they didn't see Darquesse approach, Skulduggery was following but not at too close a distance because she looked pissed.<br>The atmosphere turned chilly, even more so than it was already. It was apparent that Darquesse's mood had turned sour and when she closed in on Ghastly she struck out her arm catching Sanguine in the stomach. He crumpled in Ghastly's arms with a pained gasp and, Ghastly sent her a thankful look before dragging Sanguine's limp form into the boot and locked it.

"What's with her?" Tanith asked Skulduggery as he met her, Ghastly and China at the Bentley.  
>"She seems normal to me," Skulduggery answered coolly. They looked over to see Darquesse sliding into the passenger seat of the rover with a face like thunder, before it was too dark to see it through the blackened window screen.<br>Climbing into the cars, everyone was ready to go, Ghastly turned to Skulduggery before he inserted the key.  
>"She certainly did not look happy." Skulduggery just shrugged in response. Ghastly eyed him for a short second before clapping his hands down on his knees and turning back towards the front.<br>"Ok then, let's go." Skulduggery switched on the ignition and gunned the accelerator towards the open sparse ahead of them, hurtling straight for the waterfall, China manually deactivated the sigils by tapping two on her elbows. They glowed red, as the same design appeared on the walls before the waterfall, once the glowing red sizzled into black China gave a nod and the Bentley spread through the water closely followed by the Range Rover.

The Bentley was eased to the ground as Skulduggery created an air buffer underneath it to create a gentler landing. Everyone knew it was because he didn't want to trash his precious car. Clyro had no worries about driving the rover carefully, the metal bended and moulded to any environment it had to plough its way through, it landed on the ground with a crash following the trail of the Bentley as it carved its way through the gloom.

The occupants of the rover never shut up in the first few hours of their journey, not only was Darquesse's body trembling with pins and needles, residual effects from whatever healing agent Kenspeckle used on her, but her ears had to suffer through the incessant chatter. She finally closed off when they started their fifth car game, after eye spy there was word association and a really awkward game of fish which digressed into pontoon. Darquesse couldn't take anymore bickering, everyone complaining that Saracen kept winning turned into a full blown argument. Anything to keep their minds off the terrible situation at hand, the situation which was causing them to drive in the middle of the night for hours just to get to the hotel without being attacked.  
>Darquesse turned to Clyro even though it was still painful for her to move.<br>"Please do something about this," she grunted. Clyro gave her a small smile and with a casual wave over his shoulder, he sent an icy gust of wind into the back. Silence erupted and Darquesse couldn't resist leaning around her seat to see a group of wide-eyed frozen faces. Before she could stop herself she was laughing and then laughing _hard _and then catching her breath as she tried to hide the shocks and pains stabbing her side.

"Dexter," Shining whispered not wanting to disturb everyone who had all slumped into a comfortable silence for the past hour while they tried to get some rest before they arrived at the Midnight Hotel. Dexter was sat on the back seat with Saracen huddling in the corner. Shining slid over catching the attention of Saskia who had previously been engrossed in her phone and Gabriel who had James' sleeping head in his lap. "Tell me, what's the most disgusting thing you have ever encounted, you know to do with magic?"  
>Dexter gave a little chuckle at Shining's enthusiasm for the answer. "That's a hard one, let me think." He answered as Saracen leaned forward suddenly interesting in the conversation.<br>"What about that mission we did for the Australian Sanctuary?" Saracen offered catching Dexter's eye.  
>"Oh God, you're right. I still have nightmares." Dexter and Saracen both began to laugh together but it quickly turned into cringing weeping noises.<br>"What happened?" Shining insisted, his eyes bright, ready and waiting to be thoroughly grossed out.  
>"We were working-" Dexter revealed.<br>"_I _was working, Dexter here was mucking about." Saracen interjected.  
>"We were meant to be working, we were asked by the Australians to accompany some of their agents on a final mission before we left back for Ireland. This was what… fifty years ago?" Dexter looked at Saracen for confirmation, who nodded.<br>"There was this infestation,"  
>"Breeding ground more like," Saracen interrupted again.<br>"That means the same thing," Saracen tried really hard not to let his blank face drop under Dexter's firm gaze.  
>"Continue." Dexter shook his head slightly with a laugh before turning back to Shining and the others.<br>"It was spiders, of course it was spiders. But not just your average spiders, they were at least a foot tall and they oozed this yellow goo." Dexter shuddered at the thought again. "We were sent to this house and I swear even the house had hair. Spiders were just everywhere and Saracen started whimpering like a girl."  
>"I wasn't whimpering, I was trying to see if I could scare them off with noise."<br>"You whimpered 'coz you hate spiders." Dexter explained with a smirk.  
>"So much," Saracen agreed with a shudder.<br>"I don't think I want to hear this," Saskia mumbled from the sofa seat on the other side.  
>"Well tough, you are hearing this story." Saracen said quickly.<p>

The next hour was full of tales and stories being told to pass the time. Dexter's story had the younger ones weeping, Saskia gipped a few time from his details and Gabriel struggled not to wake James up from his continuous chuckling. Shining had been egging Dexter and Saracen on the whole time, not caring how grizzly the stories got; he only ever wanted more disgusting information. In the other car however, the atmosphere was nowhere near as relaxed.

Ghastly had been constantly contacting any sorcerer that wasn't at the Sanctuary when it was attacked, it seemed that no one outside of the Sanctuary had been bothered at all. But they couldn't go back in case they were walking straight into a trap. Tanith and China were still busy trying to sort out each strategy for each separate mission to recover the God-killers. Skulduggery had been silent as he drove and no-one felt the need to disturb him, he was probably thinking about a million things and he really looked like he couldn't hear them anyway.  
>"Well that just sounds ridiculous," China stated glaring at Tanith who was glaring back.<br>"And how exactly would you do it then?"  
>"I would use my assets," China replied smoothly, Tanith glare only intensified.<br>"Of course, what would you be without your weird enchantment to make everyone fall in love with you? Not really working though is it?" China quickly yanked the blue prints that were on Tanith's lap so she could look at them more closely.  
>"There's another way in on this side of the building," China said pointing her finger to a place on the map but not moving the map any closer so Tanith could see. She wasn't going to make everything so easy for her. "I wonder why you didn't see it. And just because I don't settle doesn't mean I haven't found love." A leer spread across China's face after hearing the low growl that escaped Tanith's lips. If they weren't in a car together Tanith knew she would have taken her out there and then.<br>"With a personality like yours, I wouldn't be surprised if you got to live a thousand years and you still hadn't found someone who genuinely cared for you. I'm getting married at Christmas and I shall always know that I married the love of my life. You will probably never be able to say the same." Tanith was suddenly distracted by Ghastly hanging up his phone.  
>"So there have been no reports of any attacks on anyone, anywhere else in the country. I've sent some people to a few of the hotspots we know about to see if they have been drained or not but…" Ghastly seemed uncomfortable before he said his next words.<br>"I get the strangest feeling that this might be personal. Mevolent doesn't seem to be targeting the country as a whole, but to be honest these attacks against us just seem so random."  
>"He's planning something a lot bigger than we thought," Skulduggery said simply finally breaking his hours of silence.<br>"Erm, what did we think his plan was anyway?" Tanith asked confused.  
>"No one hunts down hotspots if they didn't need an incredible amount of magic, he's obviously got a weapon or some plan that entails him having immeasurable power. Probably world domination or he's trying to bring back the Faceless Ones." Skulduggery's words made her blood run cold as his sentence came to an end. What if that was his plan? To bring back the Faceless Ones was one plan they could not afford to let Mevolent complete.<br>Silence pained the ears of everyone in the Bentley, the suggestion was a terrifying thought, and Skulduggery pressed his foot down hard on the gas pedal.

"You know who probably would have an odd few stories to tell…" Saracen said leaning forward in his seat, his eyes flicking from Shining to Saskia and the two boys, Blue was still sleeping. His grin was wide especially when Dexter could only tut at him. Anton decided to not encourage any behaviour but made no effort to hide his smile as he watched Saracen trying to entice the teenagers to ask a certain someone to tell them an interesting story.  
>Darquesse of course heard and knew what was coming, Clyro's eyes slid to her as he managed to hide his amusement, Darquesse glared at him as if she knew already that he thought it was going to be funny to watch the scene that was about to unfold.<br>Shining looked over his shoulder at Darquesse then back at Saracen's grinning face again.  
>"Are you going you ask her?" Shining said expectantly.<br>"Oh no no no no. If you want to find out you will just have to ask her yourself." Saracen said sitting back in his seat as if that meant the question to Darquesse couldn't be pulled from his lips. Shining looked over his shoulder sheepishly and jumped when Darquesse's voice came clearly from the passenger seat in the front.  
>"I'm not deaf you know, I can hear everything you are saying." She hadn't bothered to move to look at them, her body was still aching. Shining tried to make his smile seem more intrigued then nervous. He still wasn't quite sure how Darquesse would react to everything so he always had to be cautious around her.<br>_She is pretty fit though, _he thought to himself. Darquesse caught the slight blush that spread across his face before he looked away trying to conceal the fact that he was having inappropriate teen thoughts, it made her smirk and actually change her mind about telling them a story.  
>"Alrite then, I'll tell you about one of my favourite missions for the Acid Battery. Silvo Goske, the leader instructed that I was to assassinate a beast that was getting too close to the locals. He didn't tell me until just before we found it, that it was a bloody Cyclops.<p>

_**Two Years Ago  
>Twenty miles south of Mount Fuji, Japan<strong>_

_It was nearly three o clock in the morning and Darquesse could think of a million things she would rather be doing right now then trudging through the mountainous area of Japan in search of a stubborn cyclops. Cyclopes weren't even meant to reside in Japan, they were usually found in places such as Sicily or Greece and now because one had strayed so far from their normal grounds, it was dumped on Darquesse to get rid of it.  
>The air was warm despite the time and even Darquesse was surprised that Silvo could keep up with her. Her powerful legs propelled her up the sloping landscape and as the angle got steeper, it made her body toughen up so she barely noticed the strain.<br>She was distracted by a mumbling behind her and when she turned she choked out a cough watching Silvo struggle to escape a scary looking twig that had snagged onto his clothes.  
>Silvo was a devious man, short, black hair, and dark eyes though strangely entrancing. He was born in Texas but grew up in Japan, his work for the Acid Battery took him all over the world and it wasn't long before he developed a crush on Darquesse. She was only willing to endure his attention until she had got everything she needed from him, and she supposed it helped that he was a really good kisser. Being only a few years older than her he was the youngest member of the Acid Battery, but he was clever and every plan he had designed had worked which earned him respect from the others. All the members were loyal to him, they tolerated Darquesse as long as Silvo wanted her around, they grumbled in front of her to Silvo but he fought for her, so they never took any action against her.<br>That changed when Darquesse killed Silvo, when they walked in on Darquesse after she had committed the murder, intentionally letting the others see to further her plan, they looked a little pissed off._

_Darquesse approached silently and slowly between the trunks that encircled the base of the mountains like shadows. The sun had dropped behind the peaks hours ago and they had finally located what they had been looking for.  
>Now, Darquesse knew she was powerful, quick and strong in a fight, always had the upper hand where magic was concerned. She was a mother fucking force to be reckoned with and she loved it.<br>But she wasn't complacent. She wasn't arrogant. And she most certainly wasn't stupid. She knew not to underestimate a cyclops. Although they were pretty unnoticed by the public, hard to believe but true, they had a nasty and brutal reputation.  
>Humans being their natural food source made it so the magical communities had no choice, hundreds of years ago, but to push the cyclops' into unpopulated areas and keep close tabs on them. Many humans had fallen to the mercy of the hungry appetites of the one eyed monsters, so she wasn't surprised that when one was spotted near Silvo's territory that he would decide to get rid of it before it got any closer. Sorcerers weren't excluded when it came to a cyclops' dinner.<br>Darquesse got closer unnoticed with ease, she could already tell that the cyclops was a young one, standing no more than ten feet tall. Fully grown adults could measure at over twenty meters in height, Darquesse was glad, though their intelligence isn't brilliant anyway, a child would be less likely to understand her. Her plan wasn't to jump it like Silvo wanted because she had other ideas.  
>Moonlight forced its way through the gaps in the forestry above creating a pocket that cascaded down on the cyclops. She could see its arms; round and thick, rippling beneath its leathery, bleached skin, blue and brown rags were strung from its belt, which was more like strands of rope fastened together. The rags were held together with a fur lining and Darquesse could see how the material shimmered red and green under the blue. Dusty skulls and blunt claws were covering its belt while it pulled strips of bark from the tree like it was flesh, with its stumpy, square fingers and talon like nails. Its jagged sharp stone club was sat on its tip leaning against the tree within the cyclops' arm reach.<br>She was really close now and she could see the bits of bark being sprayed out of its mouth. They didn't eat bark for nourishment; it was way too hard for them, they preferred the squishier organ tasting pallet. But bark was especially good when used as a tooth pick and Darquesse could hardly judge him for not noticing she was there. He was being caught off guard in his after dinner routine and that was always going to be a perfect distraction._

_Stopping a safe distance behind the cyclops, she spoke.  
>"Hello." She said clearly. The cyclops spun around, believing an attack was imminent and threw its arms up in the air gracelessly snatching his club from the tree next to it. When its large, crystal blue eye landed on Darquesse a look of confusion glazed over its face and barely managed to compete with anger over control of its face.<br>Darquesse stood perfectly still, the cyclops still in a defensive stance, alarm ringing through its body. A small amount of tension left her body when the cyclops still hadn't stepped forward, too unstable to make a rational decision over its little predicament. Darquesse was hoping that it was curious enough to want to know why a human had found it in the mountainous woods, and instead of attacking it or screaming in terror, she had simply said "hello" which couldn't of been a regular occurrence for it.  
>"I'm not here to hurt you, please don't eat me." What else was she going to say? What else could she say to it? Simple and honesty would just have to do. The cyclops did not look any happier at Darquesse's declaration. Its broken lips curled around brown, blunt teeth in a growl which quickly turned into a snarl to scare Darquesse off.<br>She stood defiantly with her feet parted but let her arms just hang at her sides; she didn't want to appear too intimidating after all. She had never come across a cyclops before so she had to be weary, not that she was used to being reckless but she did whatever the mood entailed so life was pretty wild for her. She was so excited to encounter such a magnificent monster.  
>"I'm honestly not here to harm you; I actually have a request for you… if you can understand me."<br>Its snarling grew louder as it waved it club over its head, Darquesse sighed. "Could you stop growling for one minute please? I've had quite enough dramatics for one day." Shockingly the snarling died down and the cyclops lowered its club but didn't let it go. It heaved up and down as its breath from the shock slowly came back to it. Its eye was trained on Darquesse, she returned the stare.  
>"So can I make my request?"<br>"Who… are… you?" a grufty monotone of words were spewed from the cyclops' mouth.  
>"Woah! You talk?" Darquesse's eyes grew wide and she actually started to smile, the cyclops just frowned at her.<br>"Of course I talk, stupid human." A smirk tugged at her lips instead of the smile, proving to the cyclops that she wasn't apprehensive because of him. If it thought she would come up behind it and startle it for a friendly chat, without the certainty that she could throw it away like a twig,. it was deadly mistaken.  
>"Aren't you a little short? I thought only adults could string together words, but you're only like, ten feet… that's half of what you should be really."<br>"We aren't all the same, you know!" the cyclops grumbled loudly at her.  
>"I'm sorry, I've never met one of… your kind before. Been told you're a tad uncivilised."<br>"You scum humans, pathetically simple minded. And so stupid." The cyclops regarded her carefully despite its insulting tone.  
>"Cheers for that," Darquesse replied coolly not taking to heart the insults. "So actually, this works out so much better instead of my trying to interpret your grunts and groans. Not that it wouldn't have been fun, but I'm short on time and the fact that you can speak will definitely speed up the process."<br>"First," its deep voice boomed out. "Are you alone? Lie to me and I will eat your brains."  
>"You might want to take a lesson in how to dish out successful threats." The cyclops growled and bared its blunt, angled teeth at her.<br>"Better… and no, I am not alone." Its eye flashed to the surroundings around it, probing frantically for the human's back up.  
>"Don't worry, there's only one person with me and he's not going to attack you."<br>"Then why is he hiding?"  
>"To be honest… he's a big wimp and was too afraid to confront you… Men," she finished with a shrug.<br>"I don't trust you, but I will listen to your request."  
>"I want you to come back with me and work for my boss, he could use an asset like you. That's if you can resist chomping on our bones."<br>"I want to know how you found me first." The cyclops was keeping its distance as he knew nothing about this strange girl except that she apparently had a death wish. Walking into places she doesn't belong, asking for things no one owes her.  
>"You are quite close to a mortal town Cyclops Man, you really didn't think the Sanctuary would pick up on that?"<br>"If they get in my way I could easily dispose of them." Considering the appearance of the human in front of him, she didn't look like the normal Sanctuary worker. It had wandered into some extreme situations when it was younger and the Japanese always gave it a rough time, but this girl was using an entirely different approach. It said something about the humans' conduct with its race if they didn't even know some could speak. "Your boss sent you here to recruit me?"  
>"No, my boss sent me here to kill you. But I think you will be a lot more useful alive."<br>"You are going to let me live? I don't think you know what I can do, human. I'll literally eat you for supper."  
>"As much fun as that sounds, I'm afraid I'm going to pass. I know exactly what you can do, I've done extensive research and I'm positive I can take you. I was dispatched to eliminate you for a reason. Because I am the best and I'll warn you now, if you resist me these will be your last moments on this world. Better make the most of them."<br>Darquesse waited for the cyclops to think it over, they didn't have large brains so everything was really slow and long winded. For someone who made a habit of flying faster than the speed of any man made machine, it was a tad boring and made her feel irritated with impatience.  
>"If you can battle me, I will join you and your boss no questions asked." A slick smirk slid across her face. "But if you can't I get to chow down on you, no questions asked." Darquesse took one small step forward before looking into its one eye.<br>"Deal." She said without hesitation. "Now brace yourself."_

_Darquesse sprinted closing the short gap between them, planting her boots into the ground just before she collided with the cyclops. Pushing off with her strong legs she vaulted onto its chest, and buried her fist into its eye with a powerful right hook. It roared out in pain, its thick arms flailing, trying to push her off. She dodged them effortlessly meeting her fist with its face once again causing its jaw bone to erupt from the skin. Darquesse flipped backwards and landed in a crouch; as soon as she was on the ground the cyclops brought up its knee and let gravity bring it back down with force. The ground crumpled where Darquesse had been a second earlier. She jumped forward and her right foot swooped in connecting with its shin bone. The trees around them shook, the leaves rustling as the cyclops gurgled in pain.  
>"Do I win yet?" Darquesse yelled observing the cyclops, now on one knee, panting and baring its cruel teeth in her direction. It snarled at her then shot up and charged grabbing her by the shoulders and lobbing her into a sturdy tree trunk with a loud crack. The trunk gave way under the force and broke in half where Darquesse had smashed straight through. The trunk collapsed bringing down stray branches and bush wood from neighbouring trees. The earth shook for a second, Darquesse felt the impact ripple through the veins of the forest. She had crashed through the tree and rolled and bounced on the ground breaking her fall when her hip collided with something hard and rough. Her hip bone hurt to fuck but she got up quickly just in time to bend backwards under the swinging fist mere millimetres from her face. The fist passed over her and on her way back up she drove her fist into its side then she sent an elbow straight after on the same spot. The cyclops stumbled forward receiving a blow to the back of the head, he swayed forward and backwards a few time before losing balance and landing on its face. Darquesse stood at its head. The cyclops was not prepared for the magical skills the girl had, it was almost twice her height and she was easily rising from the ground and taking shots at its face.<br>"Will you join us now?" her sigh slightly frustrated. The cyclops didn't answer so she knelt down and bent forward to make sure it wasn't dead. As soon as she got close its massive hand flew out to encircle her neck. Once she was secure it added its other hand and heaved to get up quickly._

_Meeting its single eye and seeing the squirts of red veins encasing his hollow pupil, Darquesse knew what she had to do to get out of this mess. It was nothing she hadn't done before but after a certain amount of times the reactions just got boring. Breathing became a struggle as her neck was slowly being crushed. She felt her muscles press up against her windpipe, her arms and legs fell loosely at her sides becoming useless.  
>Closing her eyes she felt its hand stop shaking, it squeezed a few times making her head drop backwards and just before it could construct another thought, a shadow launched itself from behind Darquesse and transformed the tip to a point and impaled the cyclops' eye. The shadow continued forward until it was embedded past the eye and severed the optical nerve. Darquesse was dropped instantly. Wiping away the murky looking blood that had spat back at her, she saw the cyclops drop to its knees cradling its eye, it roaring and screaming as the same goop surged from its eye socket.<br>"What's your name anyway?" Darquesse only though to ask in the last few seconds and realised if she wanted to know she should ask quick before he could pass out. "If you want that fixed you should come with us."  
>Slowly the cyclops began to nod but never looked up at her, "My name is Samuel," it said before it passed out and flopped to the floor.<br>Silvo emerged from the tree line of shadows and stopped beside Darquesse.  
>"Why didn't you kill it sooner?"<br>"I didn't kill it at all." Silvo let out a frustrated sigh rubbing his forehead with his hand.  
>"Darquesse, can you please just do this one thing I have asked?" he whined in an exasperated tone.<br>"You need him, your crew is pathetic, apart from me of course, but you need someone like Samuel on your side."  
>"I suppose I know I can always trust you." She caught sight of his eyes dragging up from her legs taking in every detail of her body until he reached her eyes.<br>"Have I ever led you astray?" she said meeting his eyes with a wicked grin.  
>"Oh you have, that's why I would follow you anywhere," Silvo's voice was smooth and saucy as he hooked a finger into the loop on her pants and pulled her roughly to him.<br>"You should never just follow someone because you fancy them, they could be leading you into a trap." Silvo's face was in licking distance and she felt his cool breath on her cheek and his rough hands settling on her waist.  
>"Well, I wouldn't be too scared, I'm good at getting out of traps, especially if I was put in one by someone like you." With that he smashed his lips on to Darquesse's heaving her up so she was slammed against a tree. Her legs naturally encircled his waist as he kissed her, wrapping one hand in her hair to keep her lips on his. Her arms fell lazily on his shoulders, while her fingers played with the hair at the base of his skull.<br>Silvo pushed himself harder between her legs trying to get her to grind her hips into him. A frown graced his face when he heard a muffled groan from behind them.  
>"Samuel's waking up," Darquesse observed breaking apart from him and untangling his arms from around her. He let out a disappointed groan but was completely ignored. Darquesse knelt by Samuel's face.<br>"Give me the bag," she demanded. Silvo pulled a small leather pouch from inside of his jacket and flung it into her hand. Inside the pouch was filled to the brim with yellow powder, she dipped her fingertips in and sprinkled some on Samuel's eye. As the powder healed his oozing eye its discomfort was evident.  
>"The stinging will stop," she said as it began tossing and turning on the ground. She placed her hands on its shoulders and pushed it so its back was flat against the ground, its struggling seized and its groans quietened as the powder finished its magic.<br>"Darquesse, what are we going to do with it? It can't be controlled."  
>"Silvo, every plan you make will need a distraction for something," she put both her arms out gesturing towards the cyclops. "Ta da. You really think people are going to take one look at it and <em>not _run in the opposite direction?"  
>Silvo was ordered to collect the van they had turned up in and drive it nearer to where they were, he was reluctant, not wanting a heavy unpredictable cyclops in the back of his van but he didn't argue with Darquesse.<br>"I do not like him," Samuel stated the moment Silvo's head disappeared into the mist.  
>"Me neither," Darquesse shrugged seating herself on a log not too far from Samuel's head.<br>"Then why do you work with him?" She met his eye with a sly and sinister smile she was barely able to hold back.  
>"Keep your enemies close," was all she said.<em>

Anton had made sure no one would find the Midnight Hotel by re-rooting its usual spots. No one could gain access by waiting for it to appear because all the old locations were now dormant. The sun was hours away from dawn when they reached the beach. Anton explained that the hotel was on the edge of the foliage overlooking the beach. It could only be seen if you were standing right in front of it. The foliage hid it from view at all angles especially since it rolled back from the shore and onto the sand dunes. The beach was hardly a tourist attraction so they weren't worried about anyone accidentally stumbling onto their hiding place. The Bentley swerved through the sand and Skulduggery parked it alongside the hotel so the trees and bushes mostly hid the car too.  
>Clyro parked the Range Rover just behind, the two black cars almost invisible since it was still dark. He scanned the area and once everyone was out of the vehicles Darquesse took off in the rover leaving Clyro stood at the entrance. Skulduggery stopped when he noticed Clyro waiting at the door.<br>"Clyro, what's going on?" he asked.  
>"Darquesse is checking the perimeter I'll be guarding the entrance until she gets back, it's safer that way until you are done." Skulduggery scrutinized him for a moment before nodding and going inside.<p>

The Range Rover ploughed through the sand weather it was dry like powder or wet and clumped together. The beach wasn't that wide it was only about twenty meters before the waves broke the surface and pushed up the sand. It was long going on for miles up and down the country and because it wasn't that big enough to fit extra things on, that you would normally associate with the beach and most people complained the water was too cold, it was rarely used except for the odd really hot day in summer. Being at the sea what were they to expect? But only golden sandy beaches down south really made for tourist spots. Darquesse was glad the places she frequented were mostly secluded, she would always get a burst of fury when she thought someone was watching her to be nosy.  
>There was a strong breeze being brought in by the sea, it was too dark to really see the waves but the washing motions of the sea could be heard easily. The wind pulled at the rover as its speed increased to around seventy miles an hour going past the hotel and through the forestry that spread out for miles in every direction.<br>Having seen absolutely nothing out of the ordinary she brought the car to a rest at the front entrance allowing Clyro to climb in. They sat in the car watching the monitors on the dashboard keeping an eye out for anything trying to sneak up on them.  
>"I have a bad feeling," Darquesse admitted, staring out of her side window.<br>"Really? Why's that?" Clyro asked twisting in his seat to face her.  
>"I don't know, there's something in the air." Her eyes were trained on the beach outside and they were flicking up and down the sand.<br>"You better go inside and tell them whatever they are going to do, to do it quick. And stay alert." Clyro nodded at her request and left the car to enter the hotel. Darquesse sat perfectly still in the driver's seat, she wanted to be able to hear everything. The noise they were making inside the hotel was threatening her concentration on the outside. Her eyes swept the horizon, the shore, and the trees that lined the coast. She pursed her lips at the thought of being alone, now her mind could fester on the words Skulduggery had said to her. She was beginning to feel like it was a lost cause, asking him for help. He was clearly still hung up on getting Valkyrie back and that did nothing but offend her.

Was she really such a horrible person that it was fair for every single person she knows to want her to be someone else, or not exist at all? Shaking her head she tried to jiggle away the feelings that were slowly cursing her mind... again! Up until this point she had been holding back. She did enough to keep the others safe without really giving away too much about her powers that she had accumulated over time. She remembered when she first emerged, back in the day when Valkyrie and Skulduggery had only just figured her true nature; she came out to have some fun. All she wanted to do was explore the world, destroy bits and just do whatever the hell she wanted.  
>She didn't realise until she emerged permanently that life was not always fun. Sometimes it fucking took the piss and it just wasn't the same anymore. She still had fun, her ever growing powers saw to that but she missed the people she used to have fun with and now; they were rejecting her.<br>Yeah, life just fucking sucks sometimes.

The time had come where she disregarded their wishes and took back her investigation, because taming herself like a puppy for them was doing her no favours. She had been attacked and nearly drowned, sucked into a memory funk and then taken by surprise, weakened and tortured. This would never have happened to her before. No-one could get past her guard or sneak up on her enough to actually hurt her, but being around Skulduggery had tugged more at her emotions then she ever anticipated. Unless there was another reason, the thought whistled through her mind for a second before her mind rumbled into more raging frustrations and the thought was lost.  
>She had to ignore their demands and their secret whispers about her and take the situation into her own hands.<br>Darquesse grumbled as her thoughts inevitably led back to Valkyrie whose voice was growing louder each day and more in recent hours. There was silence when Darquesse first emerged, not a whisper came from Valkyrie who was tucked tightly away into the depth of Darquesse's memory. But every so often she would spring up on her in her dreams and disrupt her mind for days thereafter.  
>Irritated by how effected she was afterwards, Darquesse would always block her out completely. But she continued to seep through, like water seeking the only gap between pond rocks. Instead she tried completely filling her mind with her objection: no fucker gets near this hotel.<p>

After scrambling in to the Hotel, the teenagers were instructed to go to a back room which contained Anton's rather large collection of unorthodox and illegal weapons. Over the years while he ran his hotel he travelled to many different countries, he explained. Anton would explore and enjoy each country collecting things that took his interest, most of them were magical and it was hard ignoring the urge that maybe one day he would be required to use them. Just in case he was too weak to use his Gist, but if that was the case, he wasn't far from dying anyway.  
>The rest of the group bundled into another room opened to them by Anton, inside was a large round table with enough simple wooden seats for everyone. China slid in with Tanith on her tail and they both started spreading blue prints and schematics over the surface. Filling in the gaps, Ghastly, Dexter, Saracen and Fletcher sat down too as they discussed the details of their incredibly ambitious plan to retrieve the God Killer's, without the owners realising for long enough so they could get a clean getaway.<br>Skulduggery hovered near the front desk with Anton as he watched the rest disappear out of earshot.  
>"I have something I think you might want." Anton chimed as he looked back to Skulduggery. He bent to unlock one of the drawers in the main reception desk. He indicated for Skulduggery to join him around the back of the desk, he moved swiftly to Anton's side.<br>"Anton, is that what I think it is?" Skulduggery said in awe as he stared down at the item Anton was showing him by half opening the drawer.  
>"That depends on what you think it is" Anton replied, his tone slightly giddy which was surprising, considering Anton was probably the most likely out of the Dead Men to not get emotional or visibly excited by anything.<br>"I think it's impossible that you have a Desolation Engine, Anton." Anton picked up the small hour glass, that fit quite comfortably in his hand and wrapping his slender fingers around the base, he brought it close to Skulduggery's skull so he could observe its aspects.  
>Instead of a stone base like the original Desolation Engine had, this one looked like silver. Skulduggery could tell just by glancing that it wasn't real silver but it ran up from the base, twisted and met the silver lid at the top. He watched the liquid swirl around inside; a deep blue filled the hourglass inside almost to the brim, churning, threatening to change colour and activate, that's if it even did the same as the original engine.<br>"Kenspeckle asked me to keep it hidden, this was one he created years ago, it has some unique qualities he said, that's why he didn't want it broadcast around the world, or someone would attempt to steal it he thought. He also said that it works differently and that we couldn't possibly imagine what things this could do, or how powerful it was."  
>"I see."<br>"Unfortunately," Anton continued. "Kenspeckle created it so only one person could use it."  
>"And who would that be? Grouse would not have programmed it so only <em>he <em>could use it, because he never would. He didn't have many friends or colleagues so…"  
>Anton caught Skulduggery's gaze and didn't look away until Skulduggery had gaged his reaction. Anton tried to convey what he wanted Skulduggery to know, it was easy. Skulduggery was clever and observant and could pick up on details the others never even thought of. When he bowed his head slightly, Anton knew he had figured it out.<br>"…Valkyrie." Anton nodded at him. "Now why would Kenspeckle create a weapon specifically designed for Valkyrie to use?"  
>"All he said was and I quote 'she's going to get herself killed one day trying to impress that bloody man. At least this may help her… but it won't save her' un-quote." Anton finished. Skulduggery didn't respond, he put the Desolation Engine into the inside pocket of his black suit jacket.<br>"Thank-you Anton." He said finally, Anton nodded, a faint smile tracing his lips.  
>"You know, I think it's about time the old professor and I had a chat."<p>

The Echo Stone glowed and a blue flickering version of Kenspeckle appeared before Skulduggery and Anton. They had moved to one of the hotel suites that Anton lodged out to guests, and since the hotel was on lock down there were no guests to worry about. They reached one of the first rooms and Skulduggery pulled out the Echo Stone which he remembered to grab right after his little altercation with Darquesse.  
>"What do you want now, Pleasant?" Kenspeckle stared at the skeleton, his face un-friendly but his tone didn't hold as much venom as Skulduggery would have expected.<br>"I need you to tell me about this," Skulduggery stated opening his palm in front of Kenspeckle revealing the unique sapphire and silver Desolation Engine. Kenspeckle's eyebrows flew through the roof when he saw what Skulduggery of all people had in his hand.  
>"Where did you get that?" he sneered scowling up at the skeleton.<br>"I gave it to him," Anton admitted easily, his blank face never faulted under Kenspeckle's angry face as he caught up.  
>"What?" he almost yelled. "I told you never, <em>specifically <em>never, to do that. Rule one of me entrusting it to you – Don't give it to _Skulduggery Pleasant_!"  
>"He needed it," Anton replied, he seemed completely oblivious to Kenspeckle's outburst, either that or he refused to acknowledge it.<br>"I doubt that very much, Anton," Kenspeckle retorted scoffing after glancing over at Skulduggery.  
>"Look, I have it now," Skulduggery interjected. "And I'm not giving it back so let's just move on to the part where you tell me about it."<br>"Ah well," his tone becoming startlingly lighter once he remembered that he still had the advantage with actually knowing what the engine did. "I have made some clever modifications, so you won't be able to use it, and therefore I'm still happy."  
>"Like, for example, only one specific person being able to activate it?"<br>Kenspeckle deflated slightly, finally figuring that Anton had told Skulduggery everything he had told Anton himself. That was quite irritating.  
>"Yes, well, it doesn't matter, I'll never tell you who can activate it." He hoped Anton hadn't divulged that very significant piece of information.<br>"I already know its Valkyrie." _Blast you Anton!  
><em>"Anton!"  
>"Kenspeckle, I think you underestimate our situation here and quite frankly, there is no-one I would want to have this more than Skulduggery. I'm sorry I ignored your demands, but in this case I simply don't agree with you. So I took the appropriate actions." Kenspeckle looked as if he didn't want to hear any more. Skulduggery disregarded the fact that he was annoyed and continued.<br>"We could possibly be going up against Mevolent here, we need you to tell us what this does. How can Valkyrie use this to save others but not herself? This Engine is not like any you have made before in more ways than one. Is it?"  
>"What does it matter," Kenspeckle replied quietly, he sounded almost defeated. "Valkyrie isn't here anymore and even if she was, she wouldn't use it. That's why I made her the activator. It's useless to you."<br>Skulduggery tilted his head to the side. "Why would you even build it in the first place?"  
>"I was experimenting ok. It was after about the hundredth time that girl had come to me battered and broken. I was trying to find a way to protect her, adjusting and changing the features of the old Desolation Engines to build a completely new one. It was quite complicated and I never got it to work correctly."<br>"But it works?"  
>Kenspeckle crooked his dark, glowering eyes onto Skulduggery. His voice reflected his perplexed face.<br>"There is no way you can predict what that thing does, it's better for every single person on this planet that no one can activate that."  
>"You're right, Valkyrie would never use it." Skulduggery's tone dropped. "But Darquesse would." <p>

After being unsuccessful in all their attempts to stop Kenspeckle squawking like a dying bird, Skulduggery simply turned him off. He had gone nuts when even the suggestion of allowing Darquesse to use the Engine was given by Skulduggery, after that it had been a lost cause.  
>Returning to the room with the others, Anton had another surprise to share with them.<br>"I received some of your footage Ghastly. From the night the Sanctuary was targeted. I haven't looked at it yet but it could be useful to you."  
>"Where can we see it?" Ghastly said as he and the rest stood quickly.<br>Anton led them to a small office behind the main desk which he unlocked with the key around his neck. Inside was only a desk with a computer set upon it, a comfortable looking wheeled chair in front of it and two bookcases that were built into the side walls, each shelf jam packed with volumes squeezed together tightly.

The image on the screen crackled and buzzed, the grey interference running lines across the monitor. Anton lightly tapped the keyboard trying to improve the video until the image became less blurred and settled on a stable picture of a dark corridor.  
>"Upon destruction the security camera installed in the Sanctuary automatically sends its last few minutes of data to a base computer."<br>The Elders, Ghastly especially were getting sick and tired of people sneaking into the Sanctuary to commit mass murder on their staff or destroy their place of work. So Ghastly activated a security camera that could fly down the halls relatively unseen, called a Winged Recorder, or Gordon as Ghastly has lovingly nicknamed it after he spent weeks tinkering with it to get it just right. There were frequent nights where Tanith would have to force him to come to bed before he spent the entire night working on it.  
>Gordon was a ball, palm sized which could float pretty much anywhere unnoticed through the building, as it was black and sleek and blended into the shadows easily, as Ghastly designed it.<br>Its purpose was to monitor the activities through the corridors and the entrances and exits for anyone who wasn't authorised to be there. Anything suspicious was red flagged and an alert would be sent through to the Elders so they could watch the footage themselves or get someone on the base computer to confirm the data. Having another watchful eye on the premises meant they didn't have to assign as many Cleavers to security work, in case they needed them in more useful places. Their numbers of Cleavers had been diminished so they were a lot more valuable and the Sanctuary tried to only use them when it was necessary. They still had a small amount around the tunnels guarding certain doors in their statue like posture.

"I volunteered my computer here in the Midnight Hotel because it was off site and I would most of the time be around to check it if any alerts came through. It's not like I get out much and when the hotel was moving all the time it just created another security measure for data the camera picked up. This is what was sent to me through the camera the night that the Sanctuary was attacked." Anton said pressing a button to make the video play and standing back to let the others see it more clearly.

It was east to recognise the main corridor leading from the entrance to the main rooms of the building on screen. It was nearly empty, as Gordon floated unfazed by anyone. It was clearly late in the evening when most people had gone home to their families, to warm cooked meals on the table in front of the television, or hours spent on the town in the closest thing to emerge like China's library since she had disappeared.  
>Gordon scanned the darkness picking out details the human eye would never be able to see, they watched intently as the image bobbed down the corridor and then turned to the right where the Repository and holding cells were all located.<p>

Silence filled the room when the camera picked up an imaged of a young dark haired woman stood at the opposite end of the corridor. It was too dark to pick out much more detail but it was clear that when she turned she noticed the camera, as impossible as Ghastly thought it was; she had noticed Gordon almost instantly. They only knew of one person who would notice it so quickly, someone who was very in touch with shadows and could see through their mere presence.

Ghastly had even asked Ravel to programme the camera to sneak up on him to see if it was successful with being unnoticed, like he hoped it was. He was being his own tester for Gordon as there was no better way to find out the glitches, that he could hopefully fix easily. Ghastly was happy that it had managed to fool him every time, he was proud that his invention worked, especially since he usually just stuck to making extremely practical and fashionable clothes, until Ravel pointed out that maybe he just wasn't up to the challenge and that maybe he should get a real sorcerer to test it on.  
>That didn't go down at all well and was the source of the next twelve hours being filled with competitions between the two that grew ever more ridiculous and dangerous as the day went on. None of the other dead men felt the need to interfere or stop them so they had a pretty enjoyable night of entertainment.<p>

Gordon speed up after her as she was red flagged as a non-staff member, the girl looked straight into the lens before pelting off out of sight, the camera followed in pursuit of her.  
>The camera was too slow and was only catching glimpses of her zipping around corners, she would get round too many corners soon and the camera would lose sight of her and the chase would be lost.<br>"Is that Darquesse?" Tanith asked quietly looking around at the sea of blank faces. She could read it in everyone's eyes that they were surprised and shocked and struggling whether or not to feel betrayed. "How could she have been there and not tell us? Please tell me she did not do this and come to us as if she had nothing to do with it."  
>"Calm down Tanith, we don't know anything for certain." Ghastly soothed laying his hand on her shoulder, earning him a smile for his attempted comfort.<br>"It defiantly looked like her," China interjected her tone stern as ever.  
>"Where was she going?" Ghastly asked looking back to the screen.<br>"It looks like the camera is following her back to the repository," Skulduggery explained, his focus never leaving the screen unlike the others.  
>"Now, what could she possibly want from in there?" Tanith asked a little stunned. China raised her eyebrow at the shorter blonde and folded her arms over her chest.<br>"What wouldn't she want? Do you have any idea how many powerful and valuable artefacts the Sanctuaries hide away in their Repositories. I've been trying to get into the Irish one for years before it got blown up. If she found the right things and knew how to use them properly she could destroy a lot more than one building. She could bring down countries, those visions that came through about her would inevitably come true if she was left to her own devices in that room." China had managed to depress the entire room, their gazes returning to the monitor.

Gordon shot round the corner into the Repository and immediately started flying down the different aisles searching for the intruder. After searching the room completely nothing was found, not even a whisper of anything so it flew out of the room and continued on its search.  
>Stepping forward, Anton bent over the keyboard and forwarded through the video, the screen whirring and the picture moving rapidly through the events.<br>"At this point the camera loses sight of her for a few minutes. But it does come across something round about now." Anton played the video again, showing the passageway that led to the centre room where the Elder's chairs were situated. It caught sight of Darquesse sprinting past the camera and into the darkness. The camera followed navigating easily in the dimly lit places and spotted Darquesse swinging on the doorframe and into the last room before the dead end. Gordon had picked up some speed and was only behind Darquesse by seconds. But when it crossed the threshold into the small room, it was empty.  
>There was no Darquesse, there were no windows or other doors in which she could escape. There was no furniture to hide behind or under. She had just disappeared, the only thing that could be heard was a slight rumbling that grew quieter with every second.<br>Then everything flashed white and the video ended.  
>"We need to figure out what this means," Ghastly stated looking to Skulduggery. Skulduggery tilted his head to the side as he looked back.<br>"Did you not see it?"  
>"See what?" Ghastly looked to him confused, as did the others behind him who were listening silently.<br>"Play back the video to just before we see her run past for the second time." Anton did as instructed and played rewinding it a few times so everyone could get a good look. After viewing the four seconds of footage, Skulduggery was met with blank faces. He zoomed in to the place where Darquesse was to disappear behind the wall as the camera turned the corner and saw her sprint from the far end across the width.  
>"If you look closely, just as the camera-"<br>"-Gordon."  
>"I am not calling your mobile security camera Gordon, Ghastly. It's nothing personal but I'd feel better not forming an attachment to technology." Ghastly grumbled in response and turned back to concentrating on the screen. He grumbled more when he realised Tanith was trying so hard not to laugh behind him, her restrained giggles were only seen by Dexter and Saracen who were stood right behind her, and it spread to Saracen who forced his bent fingers into his mouth in order to not draw attention to him.<br>Their attempts were all in vain and it didn't take long for Ghastly to turn around slowly and eye them until the smirks were wiped off their faces. As soon as his back was turned again the smirks were back as if they never left.

"Just after the gap comes into view something else is there," Skulduggery was trying to show them that there was a shadow that vanished behind the corner a second before Darquesse appeared. It looked to have gone in the same direction, spotting it on the first viewing Skulduggery had a few minutes to ponder what it might have been.  
>"I think Darquesse was chasing someone and the camera caught the briefest glimpse of them running down the same corridor Darquesse was. The first time she was filmed she ran away from the camera, clearly intending to hide her identity. The second time she had little regard for the camera as she was already running before it saw her. She didn't even look in its direction when it came into view. She was after something, something that was greater importance then been spotted and alerting the Cleavers." He pressed a button on the keyboard and the screen turned off.<br>"We need to find out who she was chasing." Skulduggery stated looking to the rest of them. "Or who was working with her that night."  
>"How are you going to do that?" Saracen asked from the back. Everyone turned their heads at him at the word <em>you.<em> "What? I didn't say I wouldn't help but I'm guessing the easiest way to find out would be to just ask her, and I'm not being ridiculous when I say that Skulduggery is probably the only one she would talk to." Their expressions changed, as they all agreed with Saracen.  
>"What if she did blow up the Sanctuary?" Dexter asked unable to hold it in any longer. "Would that mean she would get arrested? I mean we have proof she was in the building just before the explosion, but not any of her actually planting the bomb. And if this shadow turns out in fact to be nothing then it leaves Darquesse as out only suspect."<br>"And that would suggest that she is still working for the Acid Battery or her alliance with us is just a roost to get behind enemy lines." China finished, her expression growing more lined with rage. She didn't want to be right about Darquesse, she had an off feeling about her ever since she returned but that didn't mean she wanted to go up against her. China could battle her way out of messy and sticky situations, she had done many a time, but a fight with Darquesse was something she wanted to avoid. But she knew when she was overpowered and being at the disadvantage of not knowing about of all Darquesse's powers, it would be a death wish to willingly take her on, she could be certain of that.

"I think we need to come up with a new plan," China continued visibly cooling down rather quickly. "One that involves seizing any given opportunity any one of us may get to kill Darquesse."  
>"Are you kidding me?" Tanith barked, her anger clearly apparent. "We can't just kill her, she saved most of us from that attack at the training mansion."<br>"She is a danger to us all, Tanith." China countered. "If you are too naïve to see it then that's your problem but I'm not willing to die trusting someone who we have no business to trust."  
>"How can you even live with yourself right now."<br>Before a fight could break out Ghastly took Tanith to another room followed by Dexter, Saracen and Anton who preferred not to stay in the raging presence of China.  
>China turned on Skulduggery who was regarding her silently.<br>"I know you may not care to admit it, but I know you agree with me. At least on some level. If Darquesse is going to try and protect us then she might as well die doing it and save a lot more future suffering."  
>"I didn't think you would care about the suffering of the world." Skulduggery replied almost amused.<br>"Oh, I don't. It's my own suffering I care about here." She fell silent staring at Skulduggery, after a few moments he spoke.  
>"What if we need her? What if we come up against something we can't face without her?" He asked her carefully.<br>"We always manage."  
>"That doesn't guarantee we will be safe this time."<p>

"What do you make of all this?" Dexter inquired sitting down on one of the sofas in the foyer of the hotel closely followed by Saracen, who sat on the opposite sofa.  
>"I don't believe Darquesse killed everyone at the Sanctuary… but undeniably she was there that night, and I couldn't possibly think of her reasons." Saracen pulled out his phone from his right trouser pocket, Dexter watched him because he had nothing better to look at, leaning his head on his hand and his elbow on the arm rest.<br>"It looks as if there is going to be trouble, looking at the way China keeps ranting and raving."  
>"There's already trouble, we are in a lot of it." Saracen replied with a small smile, he eyes trained on his phone.<br>"I know. But it seems to me that China is trying to poison Skulduggery's mind and that's not about to fly with me." Saracen glanced up from his phone and gave Dexter a wider smile.  
>"You know she doesn't pull the wool over his eyes, no matter how hard she tries." They shared a chuckle reminiscing silently of all the times they had seen China try to flutter her eye lashes at Skulduggery only for him to act completely indifferent to her.<br>"I always worry that one day…" Saracen's expression turned concerned as he disregarded his phone to give Dexter his full attention. "Something is going to completely fuck Skulduggery up if she ends up digging her claws into him."  
>"I wouldn't worry," Before Dexter could say anymore he saw Saracen's phone buzzing out of the corner of his eye, he shifted his eyes to Saracen. "You going to answer that?"<br>Saracen picked up his phone looked at the screen and then stuffed it back into his pocket.  
>"No, I'm not." Dexter was finding it hard to resist the urge to chuckle out right at Saracen.<br>"Who is she?" Saracen met Dexter's glistening eyes with a slightly disapproving expression which soon melted into a smile.  
>"He?" Saracen's smile grew wider.<br>"It's nothing serious, just met him in a bar and we hit it off. He had this huge-"  
>"Woah, that's enough details for me thank you."<br>"Nose." Saracen chuckled with his eyebrow raised in amusement.  
>"Oh."<br>"There used to be a time you didn't mind me sharing all the dirty details with you." Saracen stated, his eyes waiting on Dexter to return to his.  
>"The <em>details<em> we shared were over twenty five years ago, Saracen." Dexter finally allowed his eyes to meet Saracen's. He couldn't make out what he was seeing in them, a reminder of their causal relationship they had every now and again and maybe a brief glimpse of yearning.  
>"Are you saying you never think about what we used to do together?"<br>"Are you saying you do?"  
>"Sometimes." An easy smile graced Dexter's lips as he leaned forward, over the gap between the two sofas that separated them, slid his hand down Saracen's neck and connected their lips in a forceful yet nerve tingling kiss. Saracen didn't seem taken aback what so ever, after all he and Dexter had kissed many times before. They just never let sex get in the way of their friendship, it was casual and the first time it happened then were trapped together underground with no chance of escape. Luckily Ghastly had found the barely concealed entrance grill on the street and he and the rest of the dead men tunnelled for over four hours until they found them.<br>That was an interesting incident to explain.  
>Saracen allowed Dexter to lead him in the short kiss before Dexter pulled away and rested his forehead against Saracen's, his breath laboured even with the kiss being brief.<br>"Just like old times," winking at him, Dexter pecked Saracen one more time before settling back into his own seat.

Spying through the crack in the door further down the corridor, Tanith squealed to herself after witnessing Dexter and Saracen's little moment. She closed the door silently and turned to Ghastly who was sat in the coffee coloured armchair under the window. His right leg was crossed over his left and his elbow dipped into the cushioned arm while his hand took the weight of his head. He was watching Tanith with a slightly amused expression as she gushed over what could only be Dexter and Saracen in a lip lock from the quiet noises he could make out through the gap she was looking through.  
>"I know this is old news for you, but I really want them to get together."<br>"Why?" Tanith mockingly scowled at Ghastly, walking forward and plonking herself down on his knee forcing his legs to move under the force. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips tenderly.  
>"You lot may be a bunch of old rocks-" The cheekiness on her face was too irresistible to not smirk at. Ghastly held her waist tightly and allowed her to light heartedly tease him. "-but everyone needs someone to be with, those two as well and if two people just so happen to be perfect for each other," she purposefully directed her gaze at him, "then they should be together, no matter how many lives you have lived." Ghastly swept a lock of her hair behind her ear so he could look her full in the face. She was practically bathing in the glow that was engulfing her due to the utter adoration that was staring up at her.<br>"You're right." Ghastly admitted taking her hand in his and kissing the smooth skin on the back. "But if they find out you have been spying on them I don't think they will be too happy." Tanith chuckled to herself.  
>"I'm not worried, I can handle those two."<br>"I bet you could." They shared a moment of easy laughter before it died down and they slipped into a comfortable silence.  
>"I know it's been a weird few days, just want to climb into our bed and sleep for a year or two."<br>"That would be absolutely lovely," Ghastly's smile soon drifted off his face and his eyes glazed over as he slipped into some serious thoughts. Tanith noticed immediately and flattened herself against his chest, tucking her head under his chin. His hand automatically went to her lower back and he caressed the skin he found there while she nestled into him.  
>"You're worried about Skulduggery, aren't you?" Tanith asked gently not moving so he would continue unintentionally tickling her back.<br>"You can tell?"  
>"Of course I can. Are you worried that he's going to do something drastic?"<br>"When doesn't he?"  
>"Never. But Skulduggery must have been in situations like this before. He probably has a better idea of what's going on than we do."<br>"It's different when Skulduggery's emotions are involved. He forgets about everything else."  
>"I think his emotions make him stronger." Ghastly lifted his head and in turn so did Tanith. He looked down at her face, her eyes gazing up at him.<br>"Why, because he becomes unpredictably dangerous?"  
>"Well… yes." Ghastly shook his head slightly and pulled her back down to his chest, he let his fingers gently stroke through her hair as he continued.<br>"It would tear him apart, Tanith. Losing his family was so devastating the only reason he could force himself up every morning was because the vengeance was totally and completely consuming. It took him over and it changed him. I saw a hint of that pain resurfacing when he told me Valkyrie had disappeared, and when she came back as Darquesse… he went through all that again."  
>"Do you think he can handle this?" Tanith asked wearily.<br>"I do. I just don't know what all this will do to him if it doesn't work in our favour."  
>"And I thought we would have nothing to do before the wedding. How wrong was I?"<br>"We still have a few months left."  
>"And was Mevolent beaten in a few months the first time round?"<br>"Erm, not quite."  
>"It took years."<br>"Yes it did."  
>Tanith defiantly stood in the middle of the room and folded her arms over her chest as she glared down at Ghastly, a hint of her resisting a smile on her forcibly blank face.<br>"Well I'm not postponing it. I have waited far too long to be married to you, Mr Bespoke. The world will be damned if I have to wait any longer."  
>"What if we get attacked? We will be a major target if we are all gathered together."<br>"It's fine." Tanith replied nonchalantly, with a wave of her hand.  
>"Even if people die?"<br>"At least I will die being your wife." Her voice dead panned.  
>"That's the spirit. But seriously for a minute, what if you stain your dress?" Her eye's grew wide and he could practically hear her brain steaming just thinking about it.<br>"If my dress was ruined then life wouldn't be worth living any way."  
>"So I better make sure the dress I'm making you is stain resistant." Ghastly saw the beam tug at her lips and she unfolded her arms and climbed back onto Ghastly's lap.<br>"Yes and remember you can't look at the dress while you're making it, its bad luck."  
>"And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"<br>"I'm sure someone with your talents will find a way. Unless you're not as good as everyone thinks you are."  
>"I'll manage it."<br>"Good, because do you have any idea how hard it is to get a Christmas wedding?"  
>"None at all."<br>"Well it's tremendously difficult, so we are not re-booking."  
>"I suppose we could always hire a group of Reapers, we have so few Cleavers left, I can't risk bringing them out of hiding especially when we may really need them soon."<br>"Reapers are a good idea, but they are hardly going to hold Mevolent back if that arse-hold decides to ruin my special day. Darquesse would be great for security, do you think she would take the job?"  
>"I think she would probably want to be part of the wedding, Tanith. Like a bridesmaid perhaps. That is unless she is working for the other side."<br>"I don't know, if she was working against us then it would be the perfect opportunity for her to take us out. Not sure I'm all too comfortable with that. Besides I haven't officially invited her anyway so we could always not tell her and then hopefully our minds can be at ease."  
>"You really don't want her there?" Ghastly asked, all he got in return was a shrug. He gave Tanith a sympathetic look before entangling her in his arms.<br>"We have plenty of time to prepare and we shouldn't assume anything about Darquesse. We don't know what she is capable of or her true motives. She may not even want to come." Ghastly smiled at the image of Darquesse in a bridesmaids dress, it almost made him chuckle.  
>"She doesn't seem as hard core as I thought she would be. I mean after all the visions came about of her emerging and destroying the world, she finally does and instead just goes after a gang of dicks and I'm not being funny, but I thought she would have at least attempted to kill one of us."<br>"Don't worry sweetheart, that wasn't funny at all."  
>"She just sort of came in and tried to become one of the team," Tanith ridiculed as she got up and paced the room, suddenly in need of a physical outlet. "Maybe we are being too complicated about this. Why can't we just go and ask her?"<br>"So, would you like to tell me how that conversation would go?" Ghastly asked still amused.  
>"Hey, Darquesse, just curious but are you secretly on Mevolent's side just waiting to kill us?... Yeah you're right, that would never work." Tanith's face lit up like a light bulb had appeared over her head. "You could ask her," she started, tugging at Ghastly's arm. "She wouldn't hurt you, she always had a soft spot for you." When Ghastly's only retort was a raised eyebrow, Tanith's face fell as if she was giving in. Grumbling she flopped down on the chair's arm and rested her arm around Ghastly's shoulder.<br>"What about that virus thing? Kenspeckle said she was injected with something and I can hardly see Mevolent damaging his main spy. It just doesn't fit."  
>"You know I think one day you will give Skulduggery a run for his money." Tanith let a glorious smile grace her face.<br>"Don't let Skulduggery hear you say that."  
>They both laughed, quietly enjoying the little moments they had together that weren't all doom and gloom.<br>"I don't know what to think when it comes to her anymore. I miss my friend Ghastly, and I don't know where she is or if I will ever get the chance to speak to her again. How is anyone meant to process something like that. If only there was some way…" Tanith trailed off when she saw Ghastly trying exceedingly hard to avoid her gaze. She zeroed in on him, her expression unrelenting.  
>"Ghastly, what do you know?"<br>"Who? Me?"  
>"Your name is Ghastly, isn't it?"<br>"It could have changed," he argued weakly.  
>"Really? Because I don't think so."<br>"Let's just agree to disagree then."  
>"Oh, ok. And I was led to believe you didn't want a sexless marriage." Ghastly glanced at the threat in her eyes and was convinced almost immediately that she wasn't joking.<br>"I…well…no."  
>"Then spit it out, or you and your hand are going to be spending a lot of time together after Christmas."<br>Ghastly held his breath for a few seconds before letting it out slowly and pulling himself further up in his chair.  
>"Skulduggery may have found something that could possibly rid us of Darquesse. But there is no certainty that it would work or that it wouldn't kill her so I don't think he would chance using it. So really, it's nothing… can we have a full sex life now?" Ghastly's face turned cheeky trying to melt the cold expression on Tanith's face.<br>"I'll think about it."

"Have you got eyes on the target?" A grufty voice demanded, his thick calloused hand moved the lines of branches blocking his face. A second man, heavily muscled to the point where his neck had disappeared and his cheeks were round like they were stuffed with food, known as Hammerhead he would always liaison any mission set up by Fraa Shackleton.  
>"We have a visual on the building and there's a vehicle parked outside. No sign of anyone, including Sanguine." Hammerhead replied. Fraa was handed a pair of binoculars as he stepped forward and positioned the lenses in between the breaks in branches. He swept the area from side to side before agreeing with Hammerhead.<br>"Prepare to move. First wave on my command and remember the objective: find Sanguine and extract him from the location alive. Does everyone understand?" There was a verse of hummed agreements, Fraa didn't look very impressed.  
>Covered by the trees that lined the beach which curved out to sea in a crescent moon, they were completely hidden from view with everything in sight.<br>"I don't know why we can't just kill all of them and then find Sanguine." A third bloke piped up from behind Fraa's shoulder. He turned to him with a face of thunder.  
>"Don't be an absolute moron. If we go full blown attack and lose the element of surprise we will be decimated, especially with you lot as my back up. Stick to the plan or you won't be alive to start the mission." The third bloke looked taken aback, he even took a step backwards from the force in Fraa's voice. Kai Matcher curled his fingers around his machete, a weapon that had been given to him for his fifth birthday and had been his favourite since then, he always used it when working for the Acid Battery. He was tall and towered over most. Fraa was no different but had the position of power, therefore Kai couldn't cruise his machete across his neck and let himself and the rest of the Acid Battery do the job the way they wanted to.<br>Fraa turned his fierce expression to the others once Kai had physically bowed down to him, capturing their undivided attention.  
>"We are doing this the way I have been instructed, if you stray from the plan then you will most certainly die, and I won't be coming back to rescue you, Remember that." He stomped forward so he was barely covered by the trees anymore.<br>"It isn't set to get light for at least another two hours, so we make our way as close as possible and surround them before they even realise we are here. We follow the signal on this receiver that's connected to Sanguine's tracker, the closer we get to him the more frequently it will vibrate." He passed the receiver, a black block with a small screen on the front with an arrangement of tiny lights to indicate different settings that are activated. "We should be able to find him quickly and extract him before any of them know we are there, if they do spot us , then we just use Project Quick Fire a little earlier."  
>"As long as I get a pop at that bitch-" Hammerhead started.<br>"That bitch would kill you in a heartbeat. Stop being dickheads focused only on your sad cases of revenge. This goes way beyond any of you, don't fuck this up or my boss will not be best pleased. And trust me you don't want to be the only people on his bad side." Fraa responded getting more agitated by the second by the group of idiots he was surrounded by.  
>"You mean he doesn't have any other enemies?" Kai asked slightly confused.<br>"No I mean, there's no one on his bad side because they are all dead."  
>Fraa turned to Hammerhead once more, "Check the receiver, find Sanguine's location. Now."<br>After a minute of adjusting the receiver, Hammerhead looked up and nodded to Fraa.  
>"He's located in the vehicle out front, Sir."<br>"Good."  
>"Well, let's go then." Yelled Hammerhead as he stumbled to his feet.<br>"Is this your first or what? Fraa criticised with a huff. "Don't you think that's a bit too easy. Did you ever consider it could be a trap?" Hammerhead scratched his head dumbfounded.  
>"Er, I just assumed it was safe, and it's still dark so we have the advantage even if it is a trap."<br>"You're an idiot, but you're right. It is still dark but precautions need to be taken. Once Cuff is in position at the back of the building we will be able to move forward, that way if any try and escape through the back they will have their faces blown off. In the meantime is there anyone else in that vehicle with Sanguine?"  
>"The scanner isn't picking up anything… but it doesn't really do that anymore."<br>"What?" Fraa demanded, his face almost turning red with frustration. This job was certainly going to be the death of him.  
>"It just tracks the transmitter on Sanguine, it can't detect other people. It's not even picking us up right now."<br>"What use is that then! I told you to get something so we could monitor their movements!"  
>"Well this <em>used <em>to do that, but it's kind of old and I may have dropped it a few times."  
><em>"What is it good for then?"<em>  
>" A torch?"<p>

_She was stood adjacent to herself, no more than a few meters away. They were fixed in some sort of duelling position, nothing but shimmering shadows flowed around them frantically, there was a soft glow lighting one side of Valkyrie's face and the opposite side of Darquesse's. Their eyes were locked, silence spreading until one of them finally spoke.  
>"You're weak." Valkyrie stated earning a slight glare from her other self.<br>"I'm not weak." Darquesse argued back causing Valkyrie to scoff at her.  
>"He beat the living shit out of you-"<br>"It was a miner set back, I handled it didn't I?" Darquesse's face turned smug.  
>"You needed saving," Valkyrie said ignoring the self-satisfied look staring at her. "I thought you weren't going to put us in a situation like that again. You remember what happened last time."<br>Darquesse's scowl did nothing to deter Valkyrie's cool.  
>"You are fucking everything up, Darquesse."<br>"Can you just get over the fact that I am in control, you don't have a say anymore."  
>"Darquesse, you are a monster, the sooner you realise that and pull your head out of your arse the sooner we can finish what we set out to do. Stop kidding yourself into thinking that any of them would have you here if you didn't used to be me."<br>Snarling out an inaudible response, Darquesse wanted to ring her neck. Valkyrie just sighed in frustration.  
>"You would have been no role model for our daughter-" Darquesse watched as Valkyrie cut herself off to whip her head around behind her suddenly. She turned back and the atmosphere quickly shifted like ice cold water had been poured down their spines.<br>"Did you hear that?" The urgency in Valkyrie's voice gave Darquesse a very unsettling feeling. She was completely aware that this was a daydream or something going on inside her head. But the look in Valkyrie's eyes right now made a cool sweat form at her brow. She wasn't completely sure what was happening because she couldn't hear anything.  
>In a heartbeat Valkyrie was stood right in front of her, a look of panic growing on her face.<br>"What?" Darquesse managed to choke out before Valkyrie grabbed her arms forcefully.  
>"There's not a lot of time Darquesse. You need to fight."<br>"You're not making any sense," Darquesse didn't appreciate being man handled but she did nothing to remove Valkyrie's hands from her arms.  
>"Don't fuck around, now, wake… up!" Her hand came like a flash and slapped Darquesse across the face.<em>

Her eyes flew open, her hand immediately went to her face to feel if her cheek was giving off heat. It didn't hurt but it felt like it should. As soon as Valkyrie's face had disappeared she could see things moving in the distance. It was still early in the morning and if the dark clouds in the sky were any indicator, the day was probably going to be heavily overcast for hours and wouldn't get much brighter than a typical winter morning.  
>She caught sight of small black dots shifting and moving in her general direction, even though the darkness would have been an impossible barrier for most people.<br>"Shit!" she muttered to herself whilst kicking the horn with her boot as she pulled herself up through the sunroof. She had modified the horn so it sounded more like an alarm, she loved being dramatic, than a honk. She chose it because it was a very unsettling noise which kept everyone around her on edge. It sounded more like something out of _War of the Worlds_ or _Silent Hill_, two films she remembered watching when she was younger.  
>Glancing to the hotel she saw ruffling at the curtains in the windows, she knew she had successfully alerted the others and was glad to see they weren't running out like idiots.<br>Standing on the top of her car, Darquesse squinted to catch a clearer view of what was rapidly approaching her. The moment she realised it was a stealth tank the Gatling gun fired. She threw herself off backwards landing on the ground behind the rover in a crouch and pushed herself flush against the boot door. The Gatling gun was still firering, pinging and pelting the rover creating holes down the sides and over the front window screen which refused to break.  
>"Do you mind, that paint cost me a fortune, you dicks." Darquesse yelled out.<p>

Darquesse could see Ghastly and Tanith at the window until a spray of bullets was aimed at the front of the hotel. Darquesse peaked around the side and huffed in frustration when she caught sight of two more tanks flanking the first one, just crossing the threshold from the forest to the beach.  
>The tank on the left continued to take out all of the windows of the hotel implanting bullets along the stone wall, wedging them in. The tank on the right started to tear up the beach, sand and rocks were flying everywhere and the smell of burnt stone mingled with the smoke from the turrets. Darquesse yanked open the boot in one fluid motion and couldn't hold back the giggle when she saw Sanguine still awkwardly squashed up in the back. His look of worry was golden as bullets continued to rain down on his shelter. He watched Darquesse intently as she grazed her hand over what looked like a compartment built into the flooring in front of Sanguine. His body was half covering it and a low grunt was forced out of him as an arm came out and shoved him back so he wasn't in the way. She placed her hands firmly on the panel and after a second her fingers began to sink into it like it was oil. Sanguine watched as she twisted her arms slightly and he heard something click. She pulled her hands out oil free, and rewarded Sanguine by letting him see one of her more sinister grins as the panel went solid and she revealed two nasty looking hand guns, clutched in her hands.<p>

"Don't mind staying here, do you?" Darquesse chortled with a wink and closed the door before a word could escape Sanguine's lips.  
>The guns felt solid and fit perfectly in her hands, they were twice the size of any normal handguns, three long barrels turned during fire which made them more like hand machine guns with enough kick to break the wrists of the person using them if they weren't strong enough. That's why Darquesse kept them hidden and never let anyone else touch them, plus they tended to go wild and explode if in someone else's hands.<p>

The weapons he held in her hands were not the only ones hidden away by the rover, her and Clyro had worked solidly for months building specially designed artilleries after they discovered that the Acid Battery was their next target. They produced things that were so unpredictable and wild that if anyone else got their hands of them, it could cause global meltdown, so they took as many measures as they could in order to stop that. For example locking each weapon away inside the rover was a good way to keep everything nearby but not on display, no one would think to look inside the internal structure of her vehicle. And since it was virtually indestructible as long as her shadows flowed through it, she could keep everything under wraps. Also every different piece would only work in her touch; Clyro was able to use them as well due to his DNA being almost identical but if anyone else got their hands on them and tried to use them then God knows what would happen. Darquesse really did treasure the things they created, they protected her in situations where things could get tricky, but her favourite aspect was that her shadows added to artillery. They enhanced whatever she was using in ways she probably couldn't even think of. Eventually Darquesse and Clyro realised that her shadows were beginning to take on a presence of their own, they lived to serve her and no matter where she was, no matter how lonely or miserable she was, she never felt completely lost because her shadows would comfort her like a blanket.

Darquesse gave the signal for the others to hold back before peaking around the rover again. The tanks had stopped which gave Darquesse the chance to go on the attack. She could feel eyes on her even if they couldn't be right at the windows anymore; everyone inside the hotel was waiting to see what she would do. Something clicked in her mind and she forgot all about any spectators. Bringing her guns close to her face she blew lightly on the smooth black metal that curved down from the handle to the barrel. The metal started to simmer on the inside like how magma fights its way through the molten rock of a volcano. As the heat intensified the gun started to change and mould to Darquesse's will, once she had finished boosting the guns she gave a wicked grin and then she was running right into the line of fire. Sprinting down one side of the rover she aimed and the guns let off a high pitched churning, like it was loading before fiery shadow bullets were spat from the spinning barrels. All three tanks turned their fire on her as she dodged and cartwheeled out of the way, luckily the turrets on the tanks couldn't move that quickly so the Gatling gun had a hard time catching up to her.  
>Reading the air so she could feel the spray of bullets following her and they were closing in, she couldn't avoid them anymore. Stopping suddenly, she turned the other way and vaulted higher than the turrets, easily missing death as the bullets sailed underneath her.<br>Darquesse's aim was perfect, firing down the Gatling gun, her shadow bullets melted away the metal and then combusted causing the tank closest to the left to explode, flying into the air and dropping onto the centre one, crushing every square inch. Billows of smoke and clumps of melting metal and skin hogged the once fresh air, even the smell of the sea was hard to sniff out. She had no-idea how many members of the Acid Battery were in the two tanks but there were most certainly zero of them now.

The heat hit her like a truck as she forged her way forward taking it in turns firing from each gun. She hit the tread of the last tank and it snapped backwards shooting bits of burnt rubber everywhere. The tread itself was flung back with enough momentum to create a serious trench in the beach and with one final push, Darquesse flung herself into the air and shot down the turret. The tank bulged as it detonated from the inside scattering shards of jagged strips of metallic, Darquesse felt something flying towards and ducked just in time as a broken piece of pewter almost impaled her.

The beach looked thoroughly upturned and in shambles, craters in the sand depicted a battle ground. Dark dirty smoke threatened to engulf the sky and by the time Skulduggery and the others had approached Darquesse, three more stealth tanks were weaving through the aftermath. The rest lined up behind Darquesse while Skulduggery took the spot by her side.  
>"Saracen," Dexter grumbled. "How could you not know there were three more of them? How could you not know there was three of them in the first place?"<br>"My power consists of me knowing things," Saracen muttered back. "I'm not bloody Mystic Meg!"  
>Each of them readied themselves as the tanks sped into firering range and bullets started popping at the sand in a steady line towards them.<br>"Anyone got a plan?" Dexter asked yelling over the sounds of bullets, they all turned and huddled behind the rover which to Darquesse's pleasure was defending them easily. Each bullet sunk into the vehicle, into the metal and the glass and the rubber but every single one was either deflected or was taken in and added to the structure. They didn't know it but the Acid Battery pelting their shield with bullets was only making the shield stronger.  
>"Yeah, I've got a plan." Darquesse said coldly pulling open the boot again to a surprised looking Sanguine. She yanked on his leg before he had time to resist tearing him from safety. She grabbed his wrist once his feet hit the ground and twisted his arm tightly.<br>"Anyone against me using Billy here as a human shield?" Sanguine scoffed as he struggled in Darquesse's strong grip.  
>"You can't be serious!" he tried to yell.<br>"Not at all," Ghastly replied casually, completely ignoring Sanguine and getting a lot of satisfaction from his obvious objections to being used as a shield or bait.  
>"Go for it," Chimed in Dexter, whose grin mirrored Ghastly's.<br>Darquesse's eyes wondered over to Skulduggery's who had his revolver in hand and was watching her intently but subtly. She stared at him for a few moments before he finally nodded his head.  
>Sanguine was still struggling, trying his best to evade her grasp, not that he could actually get anywhere. He was sure they were here to extract him but if Darquesse kept hanging onto him then he would never be able to get away.<br>"Get your filthy hands off me, bitch!" Sanguine yelled in panic, until a small hands clawed into his lips and chin jamming them shut. He felt a chill go down his spine and if it was possible, the weather was beginning to alter as if by her will alone. He looked into the dark abyss in her eyes and he could see nothing in her soul as she brought her face close to his. Her finger tips were digging so hard into his face that she was breaking the skin and he didn't have the strength to make her let go.  
>"Shut… your… mouth, before I tear it from your face."<br>All Sanguine could do was stare silently at the cynical monster he had brought out of her. Even those she was meant to be friends with looked shocked as they stood behind her, waiting for her next move.  
>Sanguine did not see himself as a scared person, he was an assassin in his day job, and he risked his life every day for nothing more than money or fun or even boredom. Fear could get him killed so he couldn't tolerate it but now, the way Darquesse looked through him, it was as if she could dissipate every cell of his body with those scolding eyes and he had to admit to himself, he was scared. For the first time in a long, long time.<p>

Sanguine was forced to make his way around the rover, his body sticking close to it. Darquesse had both guns pointed at his back, she pushed them forward so he could feel the barrels waiting to shoot him if he tried anything suddenly. Her shadows clung to him as an extra precaution she didn't even need to think about. Her shadows worked alone doing what she needed without her have to do it physically. Every time Sanguine stumbled or stopped the metal barrels were pushed further on his spinal cord and her shadows liked behaving like nettles, stinging where ever they may touch the skin.

They made it past the smoke and once they were in sight the gun fire stopped suddenly. It was an odd feeling to stand in front on three tanks that completely overpowered any one person and have them just stop. She knew they probably wouldn't want to kill Sanguine but apparently he was casualty they couldn't afford and they didn't even attempt to carry on shooting around him. Maybe they just couldn't risk it, Darquesse didn't know how important Sanguine was to Mevolent's mission. It didn't even seem like Sanguine knew who he was working for but his power was very useful and she had a strange feeling that he would be their way out of this mess.

Her eyes were stuck to the three tanks, the two at the ends had slowly made their way closer to the centre tank but none of them made any attempt to fire. Darquesse made Sanguine stop which he was all too happy to oblige with. She had the faintest idea that they were waiting for them to get closer or possibly figure out a way to get her away from Sanguine.

In the years after Darquesse had completed herself she had been in many life or death situations where the outcome always depended on how well she read her enemy. At first she thought she was just lucky because she never really came across anyone who was a challenge but as time went on, she decided people were just stupid. Too stupid to know what she was or what she could do. Her favourite part was always the bit when they realised who she was. Her name was known over the world but there were only a few that had the honour of meeting her in person. The desperate, emptiness that would creep into their eyes made her mouth water but after the first few months she was starting to get bored and tackled with the nagging feeling inside her head to go back to Ireland. The voice finally won out and it wasn't until she set foot on Irish soil that the voice turned into Valkyrie's. Before it was just a whisper, barely audible but the intent was clear. Now she could wake up in the middle of deep slumber to a screaming voice wreaking havoc in the corner on her mind.

Sanguine's breath was heavy in her ears as he blocked her from tanks. He struggled to angle his head so he could look back at her, he frowned when he saw her face glazed over.  
>"This is not the time for daydreams," he whispered harshly. Whipping her eyes to him and back to the tanks she gave no emotion as she replied.<br>"I won't let you die Sanguine, but it seems they are gearing up to try and kill us both. They know their plan has failed, the element of surprise was stolen from them and now… I can't be arsed with this anymore."  
>It had twigged, the Acid Battery didn't want to lose Sanguine, but at the cost of all of their lives, they would either have to go all out in combat or leave him and return to Mevolent empty handed. It riled her nerves knowing that she wasn't fully believed when she stated it was Mevolent who had managed to attack and kidnap her. It made her resent each and every one of them.<p>

A low whirring sound drew Darquesse's eyes like a flash to the centre tank. She could hear them preparing to fire but it seemed the sound was too quiet for anyone else to hear. She had to be quick because she was in range. Sanguine's body had sagged a little in defeat. As much as he wanted to disagree with Darquesse, he had a horrible feeling in his gut that maybe he was expendable. A feeling that was not wanted or welcome in his mental stability and what niggled at him more was that Darquesse was trying to save him. Why would she do that? He couldn't fathom it so if he lived through this he was determined to ask her.

"When I say, duck." He nodded minutely and waited for her signal. Darquesse had a good feel of the battle field. It was like she could pause it and have a good look at everything, it was one of the ways in which knowing her true name gave her unlimited powers. Skulduggery, Ghastly, Tanith, Dexter and Saracen were all huddled behind her rover about twenty meters away. The first tank was about twice that distance but in front of her with the other two tanks flanking not much further behind. She could feel everything and everyone, she could feel the push and pull of the waves, the light rain that had started drizzling down and splashed on her face. She could feel the heartbeats of everyone nearby and she pulled it altogether, gathering her strength which she knew she would need. It was something she had to do more recently and it was irritating and impracticable but something was wrong with her and she knew it. And that only made her more livid.

"Duck!" she yelled bringing up her guns, Sanguine sank to the floor like jelly and flattened his body against the ground. The earth quaked once the tanks had started up the Gatling guns once again. The streak of bullets was closing in fast especially when the tanks themselves sped forward. Sanguine was muttering into the ground, Darquesse vaguely heard something along the lines of 'God forsaken ass clowns' but the second she could see the first bullet clearly she pulled the triggers of her hand guns periodically, hitting each bullet head on as the bullets were spewed from the spinning barrels and wove into the air to seek out incoming metal.  
>The multiple explosions went off like fireworks cracking and banging as Darquesse effortlessly kept up with the Gatling guns. The shadows were leaking from her guns guiding each bullet to its target until she flicked her wrist and aimed just once down the barrel of the Gatling gun. It worked the first time and they seemed to not have learnt from their mistakes. She felt a smile curse her lips when she saw the bullet enter and that was it.<br>While the centre tank was going up in bulging fire and suffocating smoke Darquesse grabbed Sanguine's jacket in her fist and yanked him up. She spun with her grip still on him to face the others then simultaneously planted her foot on his back and booted him forward so he shot off the ground and landed in front of a slightly pleased looking Ghastly, who quickly bundled him back into the rover.

Turning back the smog had gotten so thick the last two tanks were completely concealed from view, but so was Darquesse. She ignored the cries for her to return when she started sprinting, once she reached the remnants of the tank like an open crater or wound the hot metal and rubber and bits of debris started sticking to her skin. She got to the point where she was breathing in more grey smoke than air and that's when she spotted the other two tanks. The firering had stopped since they were pretty much blind and even though they could move it would be pointless moving into an unsighted area. All they could do was wait until they had the advantage again and since Darquesse was already crouching between the two, it was pretty much the end for them.

The tanks had stopped no less than a meter apart so Darquesse could lay her hands on each one at the same time without being seen. She presses down hard on the metal but tried not to strain, she knew it was working when she heard the metal creaking like it was being forced to bend and the first tank nearest to the shore was vaulted away into the ocean. She had spent a lot of time practising manipulating the air and she was more concerned with the strength of it rather that the flashiness. She need to be able to get out of tight spot and using the air to fling things hundreds of meters away from her without moving was one of her favoured mastered skills. The second tank followed seconds after, it was like they were both attached to industrial bungee cords and had suddenly been pulled back with so much force the tanks could have been made of foam.  
>Barrelling into the sea the first tank had caused quite ferocious waves all of a sudden and the rain had started to really pick up, the second had upturned and had ruined any chance of anyone escaping, but the sway of the ocean's current wedged it against the first, burrowing into the sea floor. Darquesse could see the underneath of one of them and seized the opportunity to shoot at the engine where the fuel is stored. The explosion spread from one to the other and both tanks went up just as another tank appeared in the distance in the hopes of sneaking up on them.<br>"How many frickin' tanks do they have?" Tanith moaned leaning over to Ghastly. None of them were used to hiding away and letting one person do all the work, but they also knew strategy and since Darquesse was more likely to defeat them it was a no brainer that she would attempt to get rid of as many of them as possible before they entered the fight. It seemed like she wanted to anyway.  
>"We have to do something," Ghastly said looking to Skulduggery.<br>"I agree. It isn't wise leaving only Anton and China in the hotel with Saskia and the other four. Especially if they are just going to keep sending tanks at us."

Skidding across the sand spitting it up under the treads, the last tank was being driven by someone more concerned with an ulterior motive. It clobbered to a stop before Darquesse as she turned squaring her shoulders at the intense black metal that was towering over her.  
>"Just go already," Darquesse yelled without looking back at them. If she turned she would risk them seeing her face and her thoughts at the time, she was reluctant to let on. No one said anything behind so she assumed they were surprised at her tone which was way past annoyance and into simmering rage.<br>Skulduggery was about to nod and lead them back to the hotel but the tank grumbled to a stop before they could get away. The hatch on the top open and a scramble of hands and legs thrashed and fought to get out first, at least fourteen men, all different sizes and shapes, most of them Japanese, tumbled from the small hole and once they landed on the ground limbs entangles, they scurried and stumbled and started running straight for Darquesse. Skulduggery immediately abandoned his plan to retreat to the hotel and was by her side within seconds, the rest right behind him. 

Saskia was pacing the weapons rooms, she and the other teens had been told to stay in there for safety when everything kicked off. She had heard some of them run outside through the front door a short time ago but she could still hear China, Fletcher and Anton talking in the lobby area. Saskia's stomach felt like an endless pit when it dawned on her that they were actually in serious trouble. She had no idea what was going on outside, but staying hidden unable to help was just torture. She had her hands resting on her lips as she wracked her brain, she liked to think she looked a bit like _Sherlock Holmes_ but now she was just being silly. Skulduggery was the detective and let's face it, she was just playing dress up in real situations she just couldn't handle. Her brows were scowling at the floor as she walked.

"Will you sit down, Saskia, you're making me nervous." Blue spluttered out more firmly than she intended.  
>"We should be doing something," Saskia almost yelled frustrated. "They can't deny we haven't improved so why aren't they using us?"<br>"They obviously think we would end up dead." Shining answered from the window as he peered through the curtains. He wasn't too sure about Saskia's reasoning though. He trusted Ghastly and Skulduggery and maybe even Darquesse a little to know better than he did, and know what he was and wasn't ready for. He did want to help, of course he did but he didn't want to cause more damage by needing to be rescued when he was specifically told to stay put.  
>"Don't you think we could do something to help? We aren't little kids anymore, and I don't know about you but since Darquesse came here she's the only one who's been pushing us. I feel like I've already learnt things I couldn't know for years otherwise." Saskia replied.<br>Gabriel was sat on the sofa against the back wall next to James, who was taking the situation surprisingly well.  
>"I don't want to do anything that could put James in danger, Saskia." Gabriel interjected catching her attention with cautious eyes. "If Skulduggery thought we were ready, we would be out there."<br>"They are just babying us. I know what I can do and I know I would be good in a fight." Saskia's voice was laced with confidence but her words broke nearing the end of her sentence, it seemed no-one fully believed her, but they were all in the same boat.  
>"What's with you, Saskia?" Shining asked coming away from the window he had been staring out of. The room they were in was at the back of the hotel and the window revealed nothing but the forest rooted out for miles. He had seen absolutely nothing but was angsty and felt like he needed to be doing something, just to keep him from screaming, or crying, he hadn't quite decided. But he was adamant; no tears would roll down his cheeks when girls were present.<p>

"Why are you so desperate to be out there risking your life when you have nowhere near the experience or skill they have? We could end up getting one of them killed because of our inadequacy."  
>"I'm not desperate," Saskia said shifting her scowl onto Shining. "I just know my limits. And I would be better but this whole ordeal has slightly taken over."<br>"You just want to be like Valkyrie, don't you?" Gabriel felt guilty after his accusation when he witnessed the flash of jealousy and then hurt on Saskia's face. He knew it was a low blow but he had a feeling Saskia was going to drag them into something dangerous and she wouldn't do that to James, he wouldn't let her. He completely understood doing your share to protect your country, but to recklessly endanger your live and others just so you could get someone to notice you was absurd. Saskia's judgement was clouded but he could see the determination in her.  
>"Valkyrie was only twelve when she started using magic, we all started at a younger age then that." Saskia continued, "She had Skulduggery to help her but so do we. And we have Tanith and Ghastly and China and Fletcher. We could be so much stronger."<br>"Erm, I'm pretty sure Valkyrie was a descendant from the Ancients. There's a reason she got so good so quickly and it wasn't just because she had Skulduggery teaching her." Gabriel counted, he was actually starting to worry that Saskia was going to try something.  
>"Look, I don't care. I know what I can do and I want to do something, with all our powers how can we make things worse?"<br>"She does have a point Gabriel, I mean I bet they are all fighting together anyway. We could handle that." Shining started slowly, he wasn't quite sure if he was ready but his body was starting to get excited from the prospect of a fight and his doubts were being more easily subdued.  
>"We would never get past Anton, China or Fletcher, they wouldn't let us go out there." Gabriel retorted feeling slightly relived that it was indeed true, they would never get past China Sorrows and Anton Shudder and Fletcher would be able to block their path in a blink of an eye.<br>"Maybe we don't need to," Shining's curt voice cut through the rising atmosphere. "Saskia, here's your chance. Do you think you could take on a tank?"

The colour drained from her face and they all frantically huddled around the window. They were silent as they peered through the gap in the curtain and watched a black military tank slowly cutting through the trees and come to a stop in front of the back door which was situated next door but one to the room they were in right now.

Once the tank had stopped nothing happened. It didn't fire, it didn't open, no sounds could be heard.  
>"I think it's guarding the back door, in case we escape through there." Shining realised.<br>"I'll get China and Anton," Blue stated who had been quiet up until this point, she slowly backed away from the window not wanting to provoke an attack from the tank because the people inside thought they were being spied on. She was quickly yanked back when Saskia grabbed her hand firmly.  
>"No, you want to prove you're good enough don't you? If they see we have taken out a tank by ourselves they won't be able to deny us anymore. We deserve this." Saskia hurried trying to convince Blue to join in on her way of thinking. Blue's eyes were darting across Saskia's face hating the look of expectation she found there and she was powerless to refuse. She in no way wanted to be involved in the situation but nodded her head anyway.<br>"If we just remember everything we have been taught and stick together, we will be fine, no worries." Saskia tried smoothing things over sensing the lack of enthusiasm in the room and the intensity of anxiety.  
>"Are you sure? I mean do you even know where you would begin to defeat something like that?" Gabriel asked more forcefully. "It's not like we could get close before someone inside saw us."<br>Blue didn't feel at all confident and Saskia's persistence was becoming more unsettling. She had admired Saskia from the moment she met her, so she wasn't going to go against her now, no matter how sickly her stomach felt.  
>"We can use the weapon things in here to help us."<p>

The tank hadn't moved from its original spot. It made them all think that Shining's explanation was right, they were guarding the back to catch anyone trying to run away. Saskia had come up with a brief plan, her and Shining were to wait behind the door and use the grenades Anton kept boxes and boxes of, stuffed tightly into heavy wooden crates to distract the tank enough for Gabriel to throw packs of explosives on it from the floor above.. There were more crates scattered around the room, it really wasn't wise to let a bunch of fifteen year olds rummage through them.  
>Gabriel reluctantly made his way to the floor above, he was so angry with himself for letting Saskia talk everyone into her silly plan, but he had told James to hide in an alcove in the room on the next floor with him and to not leave it until he came back for him. James had promised which made Gabriel feel slightly less tense than before.<br>As Gabriel and James climbed the stairs slowly, Gabriel reached out his hand, his other one was holding the bag of explosives he was set to use. James took his hand without hesitating and smiled into his brother's eyes.  
>James could tell Gabriel was scared, he was trying so hard to not let him see, but he was transparent and James was thankful because that meant Gabriel never lied to him.<br>"Are we going to be ok?" James asked quietly.  
>"We are going to be fine," Gabriel answered with a thickness to his voice that he hoped would sound like confidence but came off more panicked.<br>They heard China and Anton talking from the lobby at the front of the hotel and had easily slipped past them on their way to the stairs, and once in their designated room overlooking the tank, they waited for the sounds of grenades being pelted against the metal of the tank to begin the onslaught of homemade bombs.  
>"Are you ready?" Saskia asked Shining whilst they were waiting behind the back door. They couldn't be seen by Anton or China who had moved closer to the front of the house, so they didn't have to worry about them stumbling in and finding them. Fletcher was nowhere to be seen. Saskia had one hand on the door handle while Shining held two grenades in his hands waiting for Blue to pull the pins out.<br>"I was born ready," he grinned back at her. Blue stepped forward as her job was to pull out the pins and keep handing grenades over to him so he could throw them out of the door.  
>They hoped to work seamlessly, attacking the tank from two different angles in order to do enough damage before they had time to retaliate, how wrong they all were.<p>

Squaring her shoulders, Darquesse took in the sight of waves of weapons and unparalleled angry faces and didn't even try and hide the smirk that was gracing her face. It made her feel alive, especially now they were no longer wearing masks and she could see every pair of angry eyes wanting nothing more than to crush her bones and spit down her neck. Their yells and growls grew louder as they sprinted forward to the group of still people behind Darquesse.  
>Just as they were about to collide, Darquesse stuck her hand out with her palm flat like she was making a stopping gesture and yelled, "wait!"<p>

The biggest built man was first and he skidded to a surprised stop just before he met her hand. There were grunts and groans cut off when the owner smacked against the person in front's back and the wind was pushed out of them. It took a few minutes for the heaving and breathlessness to stop but eventually they all stood straight in a haze of heavy confusion. Confusion as to why Darquesse had stopped them in such a ridiculous way and confusion to why they had abided her command in the first place. There was a lot of livid scowls all pointed on Darquesse, they seemed to barely notice Skulduggery and the others who were all watching silently, and unconcerned with their presence. Darquesse had the spotlight.

"Now isn't that better," Darquesse practically sang, the beam plastered on her face was a complete contrast with the looks she was getting in return. "A bit of civilisation never hurt anyone."  
>The leader, Darquesse remembered as Hammerhead sneered down at her. "There is nothing civilised about wanting to rip you apart and slash you open?" She couldn't help it, she lifted her hand to her face and wiped a bit of spit off her cheek. She couldn't contain the look of disgust any longer.<br>"Well… no, there isn't anything civilised about that. But that's what I expected with your type."  
>"Our type?"<br>"Morons, idiots, fools, halfwits, nincompoops, blockheads, dunces. Is that enough or do you need more?"  
>"You won't be saying that when you're dead!"<br>"Of course not, I'll be dead and won't give a flying fuck about anything, especially you and your types."  
>"Stop saying <em>'your types!'" <em>Hammerhead shrieked. _  
><em>"Do you find it offensive?"  
>"Highly."<br>"Well… I'm glad and it's so good to see you again, Hammerhead." The sarcasm laced her voice thickly and if it was possible, she felt his annoyance increase dramatically.  
>"It may be good for you, but it's excellent for me. Now I can kill you with my bare hands for everything you have done to us in the past."<br>"It's not my fault you guys were all really stupid and Silvo knew it." Darquesse said mockingly offended.  
>"You poisoned him against us and then you killed him!"<br>"He deserved it," she replied with a shrug of the shoulders.  
>"You will pay for this, you and your pathetic band of-"<br>"Oh be a good girl and put down your earrings." Darquesse said rolling her eyes at him. Hammerhead's face began to bulge red with frustration.  
>"What?! I don't even wear- Right that's it! You were nothing but trouble right from the moment Silvo hired you. I knew it, we all knew it but Silvo couldn't see and we all know why."<br>"It was because of my dazzling personality."  
>"I doubt it was your personality that kept him up nearly every night. If you two ever thought you were being quiet you are sadly mistaken."<br>Darquesse knew that if it was Valkyrie in this situation right now her face would be frightfully blushing by now. Darquesse almost giggled internally, the air behind her had gone noticeably still and quiet.  
>"I didn't realise our personal activities concerned you. If it's been a while for you I'm sure I could introduce- no actually I couldn't, you're just too funny looking."<br>Hammerhead's words choked in his mouth, he spluttered for a retort but all he couldn't manage was a "You liar."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Skulduggery started, he really didn't sound like he was sorry at all. "But could I ask a question, why thank you." Hammerhead was stunned and scowled down at Skulduggery's interference, but he didn't stop him.  
>"Where is your leader?"<br>Hammerhead gave out a small laugh, "You really think I'm going to tell you? You will never find him so there is no point in asking me."  
>"So, he's close by then."<br>"What?" Hammerhead yelped. "I didn't say that, I didn't say anything about him lying in wait."  
>"Lying in wait huh," Skulduggery glanced slightly in Darquesse's direction, she returned the look. "Well thank- you, you have been most helpful. Not to your boss but definitely to us."<br>"I haven't been helpful at all! The last thing I would do is help you."  
>"And yet you managed it anyway. Well done." Darquesse didn't even bother trying to resist her smile when she glanced at Skulduggery. He tilted his head slightly towards her and she knew he was amused too.<br>"I didn't! I didn-"  
>"Who are you working for?<br>"You think I'm stupid enough to tell you that?  
>"Yes," Skulduggery replied curtly.<br>"I think you will be waiting a very long time."  
>"Not really, less than a minute should do it."<br>"Ha! Wishful thinking-"  
>"He will never tell you!" Before Hammerhead could finish his sentence a smaller, scrawny man tried to use his elbows to work his way to the front. He had a machete on one of his hands that was covered in nicks and old blood stains. Darquesse remembered his name as Kai Matcher, a grizzly man that she disliked immensely. "None of us will. We hate you and everything you did. We won't be happy until the day you croak, then we will have a celebration and we will be rewarded for doing a damn good job. We, me especially, will be the talk of the world and Fraa will have to realise that we are not wastes of space. We are the Acid Battery and we are here to kill you."<br>"Who's Fraa?" Skulduggery asked quickly.  
>"Who?" Kai queried innocently.<br>"You just said Fraa."  
>"No I didn't. I never said a word."<br>"Is Fraa in charge of you lot?" Skulduggery didn't let his gaze stray from Kai's face but he could see the anger bubbling in the faces of his gang members.  
>"I don't know anyone called Fraa. Why would I?"<br>"Will you shut up!" Hammerhead yelled through gritted teeth, his fists clenching at his sides.  
>"I'm just trying to lead her off the scent." Kai looked up to his commander and gulped.<br>"Well you just confirmed it, didn't you. You're such an idiot!" Hammerhead wanted to ring his neck, he had completely forgotten about Darquesse and Skulduggery still stood before them.  
>"I'm not an idiot, I've been really clever. See I've misled her into thinking that Fraa is our leader, which has totally taken the heat off Cuff. See, clever."<br>"Shut up!"  
>"What?...Oh, deary me."<br>"Where's Cuff now?" Skulduggery's voice came out dangerously low.  
>"If you knew what was good for you," Hammerhead started turning back to Skulduggery. "You would forget that name right now."<br>"Cuff and I go way back," Darquesse interjected ignoring the scowl Hammerhead gave her. "I think he would be excited to see me again."  
>"You're a dead girl, Darquesse."<br>"So are you."  
>"I'm no gi-"<p>

Darquesse had grown bored quickly and before anyone's eyes were fast enough to catch up, Darquesse sent out a mighty right hook under the chin and sent Hammerhead flying into the air and the two lines separated as the fight began.


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: So this chapter got a bit long so I've had to split it in half, next chapter is already written and will up in a few days.**

**Rating M for swearing, violence and creepiness I am told.**

**Disclaimer: Derek Landy owns all Skulduggery Pleasant, if you have read Tdofl I would love to hear what you thought.**

**Thanks for all reviews and favourites. Love it.**

**Following the Darquesse**

**Chapter Eight**

Darquesse saw everything slow down, the line of the Acid Battery was growing longer as they all started parting from each other and spreading out. Hammerhead's heavy dense body was rapidly falling, so Darquesse sucked in the air around him so she could control his movements and just before he hit the ground she sent his body hurtling towards his allies.  
>It was like taking down pins with a bowling ball, a few of the Acid Battery went down which gave Skulduggery and the rest time to weapon up before the Acid Battery clumsily started running for them again.<p>

Darquesse watched as the member in closest proximity to her turned suddenly whilst on the ground only realising he was the one that Darquesse would attack first. His chocolate brown hair seemed to grey within seconds. He had to fight or he would look like a coward running away from her.

Chocolate hair had no weapon in his hands, but had his dirty digits outstretched as if he was attempting to get close enough to use them on her. Darquesse was aware that he was an energy thrower, although she had no idea what his name was. Pulling one of her hefty guns from its holster over her hip, and brought it up and aimed directly at the energy thrower, she pulled the trigger. The blackened, shadow infused bullet ripped a far bigger hole in his chest than any normal handgun would, she loved that she could use it for single shots and for those times when a little bit more is needed, the machine gun aspect really helped her out on more than one occasion. The bullet easily slipped its way through his body like it was warm butter and finally stopped within the body of the unlucky mage that was behind him, they both dropped simultaneously.

Darquesse was oddly embarrassed to be around all these people again. She recognised most of the members of the Acid Battery from the many missions she was sent on with them. Silvo was adamant that she was to become a member of the Acid Battery that very same night he met her and luckily for Darquesse, joining their gang was just what she wanted to do too. She knew it was because she was the most skilled, the most lethal and she wasn't stupid like the others. When she first joined she hadn't the foggiest clue how they managed to be successful, but she figured it out pretty soon. They were just lugs, there for Silvo's entertainment. Silvo was very cunning and sadistic and usually carried the rest on their missions. He was weird like that.  
>It never did sit well with the Acid Battery, some of them had been recruited a lot of years before Valkyrie was even born never mind since Darquesse emerged, so they didn't like answering to her for all intense purposes she was a newbie.<p>

Hammerhead stood in front gasping out his rage at her, his eyes fixed on her like she was his prey. Darquesse winked at him, it made him angrier and more prone to making mistakes, she hoped. That way she could laugh in his face whilst she killed him. He didn't deserve the name he had chosen, he was nothing akin to a shark and he wasn't as ruthless as one either, just scrappy and a dirty fighter. Darquesse had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, she knew Hammerhead had been waiting for the same.

He slipped his ugly looking trademark hammer from his back and started stalking towards her. It was black and shiny, the metal cold in his fingers. The two prongs on the end curved into long spiked points, Darquesse could tell it was heavy and that it could easily pop open a skull. She eyed his basic weapon and decided it was used by basic individuals and she just didn't have time for basics now. She definitely didn't have time for someone as desperate as Hammerhead.

Hammerhead was towering over her with his jaw clenched and his pulse visibly pumping in his neck.  
>"You," he snarled.<br>"That would be me, yes." was her curt reply.  
>"You're a traitor." Hammerhead accused.<br>"I wasn't really though was I?" her tone was teasing and light, she could tell it was rubbing him up the wrong way from the off.  
>"You killed Silvo and the rest of our men!"<br>"Ah, yes well. That was unavoidable, but at least you still have each other… for a short period of time anyway." She shrugged.

"The boss is very angry with you," he started twirling the hammer in his hand and he stopped one foot away from her.  
>"What boss would that be? Fraa or Cuff?" Hammerhead faulted which caused Darquesse to grin wildly.<br>"You don't even know do you? I bet you didn't even know Fraa and Cuff are nowhere near to being _'the boss.' _She said making finger quotations in the air.  
>"I did know that actually!"<br>"Then who is really in charge?" When Hammerhead merely scowled at her Darquesse smiled smugly once again.  
>"I must be special because I have actually had the pleasure of meeting him. Ok so it wasn't that pleasurable but the next time I see him will be. For me this time."<br>"I will end your face!" Growled Hammerhead at her.  
>"Stealing lines from me isn't going to make you win this fight. I can kill you with your own hammer."<p>

Hammerhead chuckled and then outright laughed. Darquesse watched him intently as his laughs got louder. He was clearly trying to demonstrate that he wasn't intimidated by her. Darquesse frowned, she had suddenly grown bored.  
>The briefest of thoughts flicked through her mind and her shadows flowed out unnoticed from her clothes and swarmed around the hammer whilst Hammerhead was still distracted by his own laughing.<p>

Darquesse spun on her heel just as her shadows brought the hammer to Hammerhead's neck and it plunged through the flesh under her boot. He gurgled, the blood started gushing out of the hole in his neck with the hammer acting as a rubbish plug. Thick, stained fingers scrambled at the wound uselessly. The blood was pouring between the gaps and his eyes landed on her once more, but all he saw there was a cold barrier in her eyes, then he dropped to the floor.

Peering through the crack in the very unimpressive door, Saskia could see that the tank had yet to move, she felt trapped by it and it made her bite her lip and scowl. She didn't like things waiting for her and even she knew not to approach the enemy unless you had solid countermeasures behind you. In a way their surprise attack was perfect, no one sitting in the tank would expect bombardment, but that's what they were going to get.  
>Saskia felt her heart start to beat furiously in her chest and she looked to Shining for confirmation, he nodded once and she flung open the door.<p>

Saskia was glad Shining was throwing the grenades, he had a very good arm for an accurate throw and his aim was pretty much perfect. Big chunks of metal were flung at the door, smoke and dirt blasted in from the open crack in the door making them cough, they continued regardless. The first grenades landed right on top of the tank and exploded rupturing the metal, she smiled at how fluidly Blue and Shining were working, repeating the process, Blue put two grenades in Shining's hands and pulling the pins out simultaneously so Shining could throw them out. After a few more quick throws they had managed to severely damage the paint work of the tank in parts. The treads were in bits however so the tank was stranded and wouldn't move smoothly over the terrain anymore. They were not sure if it would run any more but they continued until the smoke was so thick and sticky that they were concealed from view again.

The tank hadn't moved once since their assault but Saskia knew the people inside weren't dead. That would be too easy. Less than a minute had passed since they started lobbing grenades and once she saw a small block being dropped on the tank, Saskia slammed the door shut blocking them from the explosion. Even with the door closed the impact still took all three of them off their feet, blowing the door off its hinges too. The room filled with smog and debris, they coughed trying to force out the smoke from their lungs.

Saskia still sprawled on the floor rolled onto her stomach and gradually made it to her hands and knees until the uncontrollable coughing stopped tearing her throat and chest apart. Scanning the room she saw Shining almost on his feet next to her. His skin was covered in black soot and he had a long cut above his right eye where a piece of wood had broken from the door and caught him.  
>"Are you ok?" he hurriedly asked Saskia looking down at her.<br>"Yes, I'm good." She replied taking his hand and letting him pull her to her feet. "Blue!" Saskia turned on the spot searching the room for her friend. She found her in a heap in the corner unmoving. Saskia went to run for her but stopped abruptly when she saw something in her peripheral vision.

The sleek, black barrel that still hadn't been broken off despite their attempts had started making a whirring sound as if it was trying to power up.

Anton and China burst through the door having heard the explosions coming from the back room and not from the beach where the rest of them were fending off the Acid Battery. Before they could take in what was happening, the barrel of the tank turned so it was pointing straight into the room through the gap where the door used to be. The room lit up as the tank opened continuous gunfire on them.  
>Shining dragged Saskia to the side, Anton and China had no choice but to duck back out of sight. They couldn't get to Saskia, Shining or Blue and they had no idea where the two brothers were. The sound of bullets embedding themselves in the walls was deafening and the machine gun quickly rose at an angle and started firing at the window above where Gabriel and James were last.<br>Saskia could barely hear the screams upstairs over the tank, her and Shining were huddled in the corner covering Blue from the onslaught. They were surprised to witness China storming into the room lighting up the sigils etched into her skin and throwing out a stream on intense red energy that took the whole front off the tank, including the machine gun. It melted like ice in a dessert exposing a driver and the gun operator inside.

Saskia didn't even want to know what was going to happen to them, something horrible if she knew China at all. Yanking Shining to his feet and helping him scoop Blue into his arms they fled from the room not sparing a glance at the back exit, no matter how loud the screams got.

Anton hurried them from the door and towards the base of the staircase. "Go upstairs and stay there." He ordered and they obliged without questioning him. Saskia felt positively sick with the whole situation, her stomach churning increased when she saw James quietly sobbing over his brother's bloodied, lifeless body.  
>Gabriel had multiple gunshot wounds, he must have been stood at the window when the tank aimed their fire upwards, killing him within seconds.<br>James' shoulders were rising and dropping as he cried with his face nuzzled in Gabriel's neck. His front was covered in Gabriel's blood but he didn't care.

Saskia felt the cold embrace her as the all too familiar feeling of guilt weighed her down once more. Shining had laid Blue on the floor, she was still breathing just knocked out. He rolled her into the recovery position just in case she swallowed her tongue. He couldn't make himself look at Gabriel for too long, now the shell that used to hold his best friend. How was it that he was just gone? Gabriel would never move or think or do ordinary things anymore, like answer his phone, or play _Snap_ with James or football. Shining tried to force himself to stop thinking. Stop thinking about all the things that James would miss out on now that his older brother and only family he had left was dead.

Shining carefully made his way to the window and risked pecking out through the gaping hole that used to house the window pane, which was now in tiny shattered pieces scattered on the floor boards. Craning his neck out further Shining didn't care about exposing himself anymore, but he had to know if there was anyone still out there. Upon seeing no one on his third sweep of the area, the only thing out of place was the empty tank with the front hanging off it. They could hear faint bangs as the fight was still ongoing somewhere else, they just couldn't see it.

"I should go and help," Shining said knowing Saskia would still hear him over his shoulder.  
>"No," she said firmly. Her tone was weak and desperate, he actually turned to look back at her. She was knelt next to James rubbing his arms and trying to give him some sort of comfort. "They can protect themselves and we need you here to help look out for us." Shining felt her desperate words wash over him, he could barely meet her eyes without his chest constricting. He was angry at the fact that Gabriel was dead, at first he just wanted to give up and not play the game anymore. But no matter how scared he got, the thought of him running away and leaving the two girls and James by themselves made his skin burn. He couldn't do that.<p>

"Ok," he said calmly glad to notice the relief in Saskia's eyes. "We should all get out of this room." He walked across the room and gently pulled Saskia to her feet and led her to the room next door that was made up as one of the guest rooms. There was a simple double bed in the centre and the window was at the far end so it hadn't been shattered at least. The walls were white to match the bed that was pressed against the back wall. The room was basic but homey with little details like patterned curtains and several throw pillows with canvas' hanging on the walls of sunsets and nightscapes.

Shining led Saskia past the en-suite bathroom and sat her at the end of the bed. Her skin had gone grey like she was about to throw up. He gave her cheek a light stroke and gave her a weak smile before leaving for the door. A minute later he returned with Blue in his arms. He laid her down on the bed softly next to Saskia then hurried to the window to close the curtains, he didn't want anyone outside seeing them move around.  
>"Right, I'm going to fetch James," he said quietly. He saw Saskia lay down next to Blue and take her hand before he rounded the corner and into the next room.<p>

Shining tried really hard not to look around the room, the crimson sprays over the walls and floor made him panic and the strong iron smell was going to make him gag if he stayed in there too long. Shining's heart was breaking when he took in the view of James. He had moved so he was next to Gabriel, his head resting on his chest. His shoulders were shaking, his face red with constant tears. Shining approached him slowly and when he reached them James spoke. His voice was so quiet Shining almost missed it, he almost wished he had.

"He's got no heart beat." James finally locked eyes with Shining and all he could do was let out a sigh. He was afraid that if he spoke, his words would tremor and hearing someone else struggling to keep it together always brought all the bad thoughts to the surface. The amount of times he played down his Uncle's violent beatings just so he could pretend that it wasn't happening.  
>Shining rested his hand on James' arm and squeezed tightly, it was comforting, not too hard that it hurt.<br>"I know, pal." Shining risked answering because at that moment he needed to put his own feeling aside in order to help James cope with his loss. He needed to get him out of his dead brother's arms.

"James," He started gently. "I need you to go next door."  
>"I'm not leaving Gabriel." James replied sternly, a reaction Shining was expecting but it wasn't going to make it easier for him.<br>"There's nothing we can do for him now, James." Shining felt a sharp stab in his chest when he saw tears erupt from James' eyes. He wasn't making any noise probably because he had already exhausted himself out.  
>"Come on, pal. You are in danger here." Surprisingly James allowed Shining to pull him into his arms and he gently carried him to the next room over. Laying him down next to Saskia who instinctively put an arm around him, Shining silently searched the wardrobe and dresser for a sheet or anything similar. He found one and slipped out back into the next room.<p>

Shining stood at the doorway, he was trying to make his body move. But he was frozen and left to just look at his friend's still warm body. They hadn't known each other for that long but they had become fast friends but in a world with magic, time didn't matter. You lived fast and you paved your way through life, or so he thought. Gabriel had been cut down when they thought he would have the advantage from above.

Clenching his fists Shining walked forward his grip almost cramping around the sheet. He opened the sheet up and whipped it up and guided it so it floated down over Gabriel. Once it settled over him Shining uncovered his face. His glasses were missing probably flown from his face the moment he was riddled with bullets. His eyes were wide open and where they used to be bright they had become foggy and dim. Shining just stared as he crouched by his head. Reaching out he ran his fingers from Gabriel's eyebrows to his cheekbones, closing his eyelids. Forcing a breath out slowly to hold back the tears, he repositioned the sheet over his head then jumped up and ran next door.

Darquesse whirled her gun from her hip and the shadowy bullet ripped through the chest of a short man running towards her. The bullet tore through his chest and back and hit his two fellow members behind him. They both fell backwards into the shallow waters.  
>The two lines had charged towards each other where the waves met the shore. The bashing of metal against metal filled the air, water was being splashed up relentlessly from the many feet parrying and dodging their opponents.<br>Two tall Japanese sorcerers ran forward for Skulduggery one wielding a sword and the other was Kai Matcher still holding his machete. They roared as they got closer but were cut off when a bullet whistled through their brains squirting blood from the holes like a ketchup bottle. A third mage using the two tall ones as cover charged around them pushing the air taking Skulduggery off his feet and forcing him to land in the water.

The assailant jumped on Skulduggery trying to wrestle the gun from his hand but as his hands went for the revolver, Skulduggery spun it on his finger so the barrel fell into his hand and he used the butt to smash down on the man's skull. Skulduggery being a skeleton was quite knowledgeable when it came to skulls. He knew where the weak spots were, apply a lot of pressure to one of these spots and it would cause the skull to rupture and crack and hopefully pierce the brain triggering instant death. Skulduggery hit him swiftly and his body was deposited even further into the sea. He barely had chance to get up before another mage was throwing punches at him.

Dexter and Saracen were stood back to back trading punches and kicks with two more members of the Acid Battery. All the while Saracen was muttering instructions over his shoulder. He even knew which weapon was going to be pulled out on them next. Catching a fist in his hand made it easy for Dexter to turn suddenly and head butt the sorcerer and kick the hand that went for the dagger in his boot, thanks to Saracen.

Saracen was trying extremely hard not to bleed and ruin his suit so each time he punched or kicked he did it fast so no one could keep a grip on him. A man with no hair and dark eyebrows walked to him. He was taller and heavier than Saracen and made many attempts to catch him in his strong clutches but he was simply too slow.  
>"God this guy is so slow my Granny could kick his arse if she was here." Saracen yelled to Dexter over his shoulder loud enough for the tall man to hear. His anger was known when spit was seethed from his mouth.<p>

"Yeah she could've done a better job than you, as well. You two seem to be dancing." Dexter yelled back half laughing as he caught his opponent with a right hook and then a chop to the back of the neck. He felt the need to add a kick to the stomach to be sure and then a boot to the bollocks. It was only fair.  
>"Don't say that," Saracen replied mockingly offended. "He might go all crazy and get his nunchucks out."<br>The man holding the nunchucks on his back under his clothes hesitated for a moment, allowing Saracen to do a flying kick to his head sliding the nunchucks from their pouch as he descended to the ground. Saracen whipped them out cracking the man on the back of the neck. It was broken before his face hit the water.

"Watch out!" A voice shouted behind him and Saracen instinctively moved to the side recognising Tanith's voice. A member of the Acid Battery who tumbled backwards as Tanith stalked him like prey. He resisted her attacks with a set of twin knives and they both came together to meet Tanith's sword in a cacophony of screeching steel. He was expertly trained and very fast, Tanith could appreciate that. She could only better herself if she came up against a decent challenge, if everyone was so easy what would the fun in that be? She met his knives with every swing of her sword and sparks were created around the blades due to friction. Tanith was slowly moving forward and took the advantage when her challenge stumbled over the body of one of his members and he was impaled through the chest by Tanith's sword.

"Nice," was all the complimenting Saracen could offer before something hurtled into the back of him. He realised it was Dexter when they both splashed into the sea.  
>"Crap!" mumbled Dexter as punches rained down on him. His jaw hurt from being on the receiving end of a chin kick that nearly took his head off, at least Saracen broke his fall, and it wouldn't have been the first time.<br>Dexter was covering his face with his arm to stop any more hits connecting with his face until he heard a huff above him and the attacks stopped. He heard the soft sound of metal piercing flesh and organs. Looking up he saw Tanith pull back her blade stained red.  
>"You're welcome," she said grinning down at both of them still entangled in the shallow waters. "Do you think next time you two can do it by yourselves?"<p>

Over his centuries of life experience when it came to combat, Skulduggery knew once he acquired the advantage whether he was going to win or not. Headlocks were one of the easiest ways to tell. Sliding his arm around the neck of the round and fatty man who had stumbled towards him, he knew the position was too awkward to escape therefore the victory went to Skulduggery. Squeezing tighter he felt his resistance fade and his body went limp. Skulduggery took away his arm leaving the fat man to fall awkwardly to the ground and land on his face. He glanced around and caught sight of Ghastly fending off purple energy streams which came from an arsehole that came up behind Tanith, and knocked her out with a swift blow to the temple.  
>Fletcher was teleporting all over the beach picking up weapons when they were dropped and using them against their owners. He hit a young boy across the face with a spiked bat, he looked like he was a similar age to Fletcher but when magic was involved, age was never that straight forward.<p>

The fight just seemed to cease when a deafening bang came from the back of the Midnight Hotel. Multiple bangs came after in quick succession.  
>"Get back to the hotel!" Skulduggery yelled. Ghastly managed to kick off his frantic foe, punching him hard with his left fist in the side and then sending an elbow into his face when it came into range, as his body bent over. Another came up from behind Ghastly sinking a shot into his kidney and kicking the back of his calf forcing Ghastly to drop to one knee. The member recovering from an elbow to the face felt more confident punching Ghastly now that he had a friend to back him up. What he didn't see was Tanith sneaking up from behind. She took his head with one expertly executed swing missing Ghastly head with style.<br>Ghastly was released and allowed to finish off the man who was now backing away, fear in his eyes.

"Get back now!" shouted Skulduggery again. Dexter and Saracen were already sprinting across the beach back to the hotel, Ghastly and Tanith followed closely behind. Skulduggery had noticed Fletcher disappear after he took out a few more until they were an even fight, only minutes ago. Teleportation obviously was a lot quicker than running.

After witnessing the others get close to the hotel, Skulduggery spun around in search for Darquesse. He hadn't realised that she had ended up so far up the beach, he could just about make her out. She knocked whoever she was fighting to the floor and then he felt himself tense up when another figure appeared out of nowhere. The figure was clearly male but he couldn't make out any more features than that. He found it odd that they hadn't started fighting. From the way they stood it seemed that they were talking. He ducked down and hurried forward using the tanks as cover. The sky was lighter, the sun was probably in the sky by now but the dark heavy clouds were blocking any rays of sun. Skulduggery used the lingering darkness to move ahead, their words became louder as he slipped behind a nearby tree and listened.

Anton flipped backwards avoiding the purple energy streams that nearly sliced through his centre. He caught sight of China letting off flashes of red light diminishing the onslaught, but it wasn't enough for them to get them all. After Anton had sent the youngsters upstairs he caught sight of movement in the woods out back. They had started pouring out of the half destroyed tank, leaving their dead and wounded behind. Anton and China were outnumbered but not when it came to magic. They were holding them off but they couldn't do it forever, they were being forced back into the main lounge and they actually let them when the Acid Battery didn't see the teenagers sneaking down the stairs out of their view. Saskia had hold of James, one hand on his arm one around his shoulder, Blue and Shining were just in front all clinging to each other to make sure none of them got left behind. They almost made it to the door without being heard until one member with impeccably large ears spun around and alerted the others.

At this point Anton felt like he didn't have a choice, he allowed his gist to burst from his chest screeching and snarling as it went to work clawing and ripping. Anton's gist pulled further away, the silvery light attaching it to Anton grew longer as it tore skin from faces, clothes from bodies, blood from wounds. By the time the teenagers had made it out of the door Anton's gist had nearly killed the Acid Battery's entire second wave.

Cho Stab was a close friend of Hammerhead's and shared a lot of his views. They were both all talk and no balls. The same conclusion Darquesse had come to when she met them both for the first time. They were the two main ones that would constantly complain to Silvo about her. Darquesse would smirk at them every time Silvo knocked them back, he never really took them seriously and it was nice finally being able to put an end to their irritating lives. Cho Stab dropped to the floor, his ribcage still in Darquesse's hands. She flung it to the floor and tried to wipe off the entrails. She felt quite elated about her kills until she realised she was much further up the beach then she wanted to be.

Someone was approaching her, she knew instantly it wasn't anyone she came with, therefore he was an enemy. Closing the distance he stopped just short of her so she couldn't reach out and grab him.  
>The weather had started to pick up, the breeze from the sea was travelling a lot faster whipping at Darquesse's hair like overexcited snakes. The slate coloured clouds over heard burst and portly droplets started to pelt the sand and included them in the downpour.<p>

Many columns of smoke were still coiling into the sky adding to the impending storm. Darquesse could feel it coming. The current of the air lapped at her dark locks, sometimes blocking the man in front of her from view, but he never moved. She scrutinised his body in a second, his hair was shaggy and greasy, sticking to his scalp and barely moving despite the hefty wind. His eyes were small and colourless and by the snide smile on his face, Darquesse had the strangest feeling he was waiting for her to remember him.

Which she didn't, she had never seen him before in her life and he certainly wasn't part of the Acid Battery. She felt the comforting pressure of her shadows wrapping around her, beneath her clothes like a second skin in case a clumsy surprise attack was attempted. He had waited there patiently and silent for a few moments, just looking her over before finally she saw him draw a breath for him to speak.

"It is… an absolute pleasure to watch you, doing what you do." He said casually as if they were old friends. His voice was quiet yet haunting. It was horse like he had a sore throat, it didn't at all suit his face.  
>"Well I don't really care for giving you a show." Darquesse replied rudely.<br>The stranger chuckled, it sounded awful.  
>"Oh you already have, and a good one at that I would say." Darquesse didn't like the way his eyes would drag up from her legs, linger on her thighs then settle on her face. She got a nasty feeling every time she met his eyes, she avoided them, knowing something odd was going on.<br>"I've had a lot of creeps to deal with in my time, it may be short but the number is so high. And it appears that you are worse than any of them, so I'm convinced you're probably going to deserve the way I kill you." Darquesse took a step forward noticing the stranger made no attempt to move away. Clearly he thought he could take her, Darquesse shrugged, clearly he needed to be taught a lesson.  
>"You won't kill me," he said calmly.<br>"You seem awfully sure of yourself."  
>"Oh, I am." He smiled.<br>"Indulge me."  
>"I'd rather just show you." Darquesse folded her arms and waited for him to show her.<br>"Are you going to attack me?" He chuckled again, Darquesse watched his mouth instead of his eyes. She could feel his burning into her.  
>"You were meant to be showing me why I won't attack you, remember?"<br>"Yes but it's no fun if you don't play the game."  
>"And what game would that be?"<br>"The one where I know more than you do you." Darquesse had to resist a smirk. Wasn't it always the way? "You walk around day after day not feeling quite complete. You must have noticed your power level has steadily risen and then stopped." Her eyes narrowed as she frowned at his remark, a chill slithering down her spine.

"Not what you were expecting, my sweet Darquesse? There's a glass ceiling you can never quite break through and you never even thought to find out why… that's a little irresponsible."  
>"I'm guessing you have all the answers for me then, don't you."<br>"I have some answers, but I can't be giving up my secrets so freely. I want you to wheedle it out of me." She caught sight of the stranger and detected him slightly bouncing on the balls of his feet like he was getting excited.

"If that is some sort of offer…" Darquesse burst into laughter and then cut herself off. "Oh my God, that is absolutely disgusting."  
>"You will change your mind, all in good time." She was glad to notice the smile had been wiped from his face.<br>"Look," Darquesse started her tone more serious, she still had to resist looking into his eyes. She felt if she connected hers with his then she would be lost to whatever type of magic this stranger practised. "I have no fucking clue who you are and I really couldn't give a shit. All I know is, that was the biggest laugh I've had in ages, so thanks for that." The stranger sneered.  
>"You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me."<br>"I beg your pardon."  
>"No more talking, I've allowed it for too long. It's time for you to do what I programmed you to do."<br>"Programmed?"  
>"It's time for you to do what you're good for whore." Darquesse spun on her heel sweeping her other leg crushing his jaw with the contact. He flung to the ground spitting blood into the sand in wet clumps. Darquesse waited a few seconds for him to collect himself, she clenched her fist and her shadows struck him, slashing his back and his face. Tightening around him like a constrictor. His body bulged, he was going to die, crushed by shadows.<br>"I'm sorry, I thought I misheard you, did you just call me a whore?"  
>He managed to make it to one knee and when he looked up, that grin was enough to make her blood turn to ice electricity through her veins. And there it was, the pull had become too strong for her to prevent it. He caught her eyes from his kneeling position in front of her and they locked and then she could do nothing but stare into his washed-out eyes.<p>

The stranger didn't look the least bit intimidated, Darquesse rounded on him and didn't realise to the last second that she should probably look away from his eyes.  
>"Stop." the stranger said as he rose to his feet licking his lips and then his hand flashed out and he struck Darquesse across the face. She went flying backwards only realising once her body hit the ground hard that she couldn't move. Her shadows had gone and were no longer fighting for her. She willed her arms to move and push herself from the ground, she willed her legs to pull back so she could tuck her feet beneath and get up. None of that happened, she just lay there, not even being able to crane her neck. She was forced to look up at the sky above, the raindrops splashing onto her face collecting on her eyes lids and around her nose preventing her from being able to see anything.<p>

_What are you doing? Get up now. Get up!_

She was paralyzed.

"I can see from the blank expression on your face that you are immensely surprised." The stranger practically giggled. Darquesse couldn't even manage a scowl as the stranger started stalking towards her. She could feel his presence get closer.

_Move! Just get up and get away from him. Don't just lay there you idiot, he's going to kill you!_

"You see, I was there, when you ran to Cuff for help all those years ago. I know you can't answer so I won't ask any questions, but let's just say things didn't happen quite the way you remember if I had anything to do with it. Which I did, that's why you're on the ground like a dog and I am standing over you as your master. Are you going to service your master or what?"

The beach was empty now, not that Darquesse could see anything but the vile creature was now on the ground and crawling towards her. She couldn't feel anything, she could barely feel her mind. Every time she tried to think she would just come to a blank, it was like parts of her mind had been blocked to her. The blockades lying in wait until they were activated. How did she not notice them before? Barriers in her mind tucked away so efficiently she would never have gone looking for them. She would never have gone looking for the reason behind her dipping power in her own mind.

_Move now or he will kill you. Do you want to die? Why are you letting this happen? He's in your mind, expel him now!_

"I never got to play with you as much as I wanted. Couldn't you see, the boss wanted you for something special but he's not here now and I don't think he would mind too much if you came back broken." His hands took hold of her ankles and dragged her closer to him, his eyes never left hers and all she wanted to do was vomit when his face came into view above her own. The shower raining down upon them was beginning to pick up, the water was soaking the stranger's hair and it ran down his face and onto Darquesse's skin. It made her feel dirty.

She wanted him to get the fuck off her, she wanted to be able to throw him off her like the trash he is but her body refused to obey her mind. She could feel him sliding up her body, his fingers tightly cupping her hips and thighs. His head hovered above hers, she felt warm gusts of air flowing over her face, his eyes were boring into her, she couldn't break the connection, even when he had hit her and thrown her to the ground, and he had kept his eyes firmly on hers. His expression was cruel as she saw all the intentions he had behind his eyes. He needed eye contact, that's all the thinking she could muster before Valkyrie started screaming inside her head again.

_He can't keep his eyes off you, he needs you to keep looking at him. Why? Figure it out. Figure out what he wants from you and kill him before he gets it!_

Darquesse wanted to scream. She wanted to scream in his face, she wanted to scream as his face lowered to hers and she couldn't do anything but accept it. She hated it, she hated being so helpless, she was never meant to feel something like that. She ground her teeth against the anger, her insides were boiling with all the rage. Her impulses came more like wave after wave of white hot emotions running through her core. Her body felt like it was going to explode, everything rising to the surface . Every nerve ending was wide open, scorching in the open breeze. Valkyrie was so loud in her head she couldn't make out her words, the stranger's mouth was getting closer to hers. How could he possibly have disarmed her? What the fuck had he done to her? His lips were close and she actually wanted to die, literally just to avoid ever having his gross body touch hers. Her mind was about to close off, it was like the closer he got the more unfocused she became. His mere presence was paralyzing her. And she was fucking _Darquesse _for God's sake. Her body slowly sank into the sand as he laid on top of her, his heavy weight bearing down on her, she saw white behind her eyelids and then things happened so fast.

The stranger's weight suddenly eased and he disappeared from above her. The effect was instantaneous, as soon as he broke eye contact her body came flooding back to her, it felt like her body had just been filled with ice cold running water just to flesh out her hollow body. She was thoroughly drenched and wiping away the hair that had clung to her face, she sat up and saw Skulduggery beating the stranger to a pulp sending relentless punches into his face and head.

Clyro was beside her in a flash, he took her hand and helped her to her feet.  
>"Where were you?" She asked, no tone of malice in her voice.<br>"I found a straggler around the back of the hotel, he got away though."  
>"It doesn't matter," her voice was still a tad shaky. "One isn't going to make much of difference-"<br>"It was Cuff." Darquesse caught his arm in her hand.  
>"And you just let him go?"<br>"I didn't let him go I lost sight of him just after I spotted him." Clyro waited a moment before he continued. "Darquesse there is a very high possibility that Cuff was part of this all along. He clearly isn't dead and didn't die in that explosion."  
>"Yes, I figured he was still alive when those dicks mentioned his name. How did he escape Clyro? Someone is fucking with me and it looks as if they have been doing it for a long time… and I never even noticed. How is that bloody possible?"<p>

Skulduggery had the stranger's face already slick with red, keeping the constant bombardment of kicks and knees and thumps. The stranger was choking on his own blood.  
>"Who are you?" Skulduggery asked low and dangerously. "I'm assuming you are Fraa." Fraa struggled in Skulduggery's gasp but didn't deny it. He was one of the leaders of the Acid Battery, which seemed to have been decimated. Fraa was the only one left and just before Skulduggery was going to end his life, Fraa gathered all his remaining strength to kick Skulduggery off and scramble away before anyone could catch up to him. When Clyro moved to chase after him Darquesse caught his arm again and calmly shook her head.<br>"We'll find him… and I'll have the pleasure of killing him myself."

Skulduggery took out his revolver and shot Fraa once in the shoulder and once in his thigh, Darquesse slowly turned her head to him as he looked back with a scowl.  
>"You just shot him."<br>"Yes I did," Skulduggery answered replacing his revolver in its holster.  
>"Why? He will die in a matter of hours now if he doesn't get treatment."<br>"I'm sorry, is that a bad thing?" His tone light.  
>"Yes. I wanted to kill him myself."<br>"Oh… well I'm very sorry, you can get the next one." She let an easy smile grace her lips, it didn't look right on her face after what had just nearly happened to her, but it disappeared with Skulduggery's next question.  
>"Who was he?" Any lighter feelings she had been relishing in evaporated.<br>"I don't know," she replied truthfully.  
>"He certainly seemed to know you."<br>Darquesse just shrugged. "Doesn't everyone." She started making her way back to the hotel the wet sand sludgy under her feet, the rain making her clothes cling to her frame.  
>"How did he do that to you? Control you? Stop you?" Skulduggery asked before she walked past him. She could meet his eye sockets for a second before she had to look away, she didn't have an answer.<br>"You're slacking," he said pressing his fingertips to her elbow.  
>"I'll be fine," her reply was hardly convincing but at this point she had so much to think about, she wasn't overly concerned with looking vulnerable anymore.<p>

Darquesse was cut short when a deep rumbling sound seemed to shake the earth they were standing on. It thundered under the crust like an earthquake but as the sound got louder, Darquesse's could pick out individual streams. Like multiple sets of feet clambering rapidly towards them. She snapped her neck to the side and knew she was looking in the right direction. The rain was obscuring most of her vision but she could make out the hints of alabaster through the gaps in the trees.

Darquesse almost felt relieved when she saw the pack of vampires barrelling towards them. The three of them started sprinting towards the hotel. Darquesse turned her head to the side whilst she ran.  
>"Give me the keys to the Bentley," she yelled. "If you leave it here it might get damaged, I'll move it into a room around the back in case you need it wherever you are going." Without hesitating Skulduggery tossed the keys into her hand and pelted into the hotel. Darquesse veered right and jumped into the Bentley driving it around the back. Clyro jumped into Darquesse's Range Rover out front, the paintwork was coming to life, rippling from a black to a purple, like a sheen cascading over it.<br>Using her newly found power, thanks to Sanguine, Darquesse and the Bentley passed through the cracking wall into the basement of the Hotel. She turned the engine off and left the keys in the ignition, then walked back through the wall the cracks healing up behind her. Darquesse walked around the front of the building, the vampires were a lot closer bounding towards her. She did love an unfair fight.

Skulduggery flew through the front door so fast that it slammed off the wall and swung shut with a bang. Loud cracks were coming from the back, running through Skulduggery passed the blood stains smeared over the walls, puddles of it collecting at the skirting boards. Anton stumbled backwards unable to sustain his gist any longer. Thankfully it had killed most of the occupants of the tank, Ghastly and Dexter were taking care of the last two enemies whilst Saracen and Tanith were trying to board up the hole in the back of the building. Fletcher kept appearing and teleporting away bring back large slabs of wood which he handed to Tanith each time he came back.

"Anton we need to get this hotel moving now," Skulduggery said heading back to the front door, Anton nodded and was helped to his feet by Tanith who had left to boys to finish patching the wall, she wrapped Anton's arm around her neck and heaved upwards allowing him to plant his feet on the floor.  
>"Where are the others?" Skulduggery shouted from the front of the hotel to the back, he had glanced around the ground floor and could see no sign of Saskia or the others.<br>"They escaped through the back," managed Anton as he directed Tanith to take him back to the small office behind his desk. "Gabriel's dead upstairs." Skulduggery turned and ran for the front door.

Darquesse kicked away a vampire, dead at her feet. Looking to her right the rover was speeding towards her, another vampire upon the roof, the sound was like nails on a chalkboard, sparks were flying but the metal wasn't breaking. She looked over her shoulder, Skulduggery was at the front door and once he had clocked Saskia and the others in the back of the rover driven by Clyro, he looked to her.  
>"Just go already, would you." She said meeting Skulduggery's eye sockets. His head tilted to the side at her tone, all he could do was stand there as the rover sped past allowing Darquesse to sprint after it, vault onto the roof and knocking the vampire off with a sickening clout to the face. As they drove away into the distance another vampire came out of nowhere and started pelting after them. Skulduggery had initially seen nine vampires, the bodies of four were on the beach, number five had been knocked off the roof and was all mangled further up the sand. Number six had run after the rover leaving the remaining three still unaccounted for.<p>

Until that second. Skulduggery saw slight movement in the corner of his eye, the vampire was shifting from around the side of the building looking for its prey. Skulduggery took a silent step back and another until his back was resting against the front door. Then the vampire turned its head sharply and spotted him. Skulduggery flung open the door and flew inside as the vampire charged in his direction. Skulduggery managed to close the door just in time. The vampire barged into the solid wooden door and it cracked under the weight.

Skulduggery pressed himself against the door stopping the vampire breaking through but each push was harder and the wood was starting to bend. "Are we any closer to moving?" he shouted to the room where Tanith had taken Anton.  
>"Two minutes." He heard Anton shout back, his voice was still quiet, probably due to his lack of strength at the moment.<br>"I may not have two minutes," Skulduggery continued. Just after he expressed his issue Dexter and Ghastly stormed into the foyer and pushed against the door strengthening their defence against the vampire.  
>"Darquesse and Clyro have taken Saskia, Shining, Blue and James. They were being chased in the opposite direction."<br>"Is that wise?" Ghastly asked straining against the door. "Letting Darquesse be in charge of them?"  
>"It's not like I had a choice. They are the only two who can protect them and we are about to leave the country." Skulduggery replied.<br>Ghastly just nodded but didn't say anything.  
>"So, are we all agreed that we hate vampires?" Skulduggery asked, his tone noticeably lighter, back to his usual self.<br>"Yes." Both Ghastly and Dexter said in unison.  
>"And we probably shouldn't go easy on it." Skulduggery continued.<br>"Not one bit,"  
>"Ok then."<p>

On three they all stepped back allowing the vampire to bombard its way through. Once the vampire made its first step over the threshold, Skulduggery raised his hand and a wall of air blocked the vampire from entering further. Its small black eyes were locked onto their positions, it snarled and snapped its jaws at them, and they took a step back.

"Nearly there," They heard Anton shout. Dexter immediately fired an energy stream into the vampire's chest. It howled and then another stream hit it right in the face muffling its yelps. Ghastly was pelting it with fire balls trying to drive it back but it took the damage like a soldier, it just grew more vocal about it when it figured it wasn't going to get inside. Skulduggery pulled his revolver out with the hand that wasn't manipulating the air and fired shots into the vampire's chest, neck and face.  
>"I think I angered it." Skulduggery said.<br>As soon as Anton shouted that they were ready to go Skulduggery dropped the wall enabling him to join Dexter and Ghastly in pushing it back, which they did before the vampire came with the hotel.

The Range Rover glided up the beach, the remaining two vampires were on its tail. The closer they got the more panicked and desperate they became because if they didn't retrieve Sanguine then they failed the mission, and that would only lead to death for all of them. Darquesse had taken over driving once she had slipped through the sunroof and she could see the Midnight Hotel quickly sinking into the ground. Darquesse felt a twitch in her chest but before she let herself feel disappointed or hurt by the fact that Skulduggery had left her, she vaporised the thoughts from her mind.

Darquesse narrowed her eyes and the two vampires she could see still chasing them were starting to give her a headache, every time she used a lot of power she would get severe headaches, much worse than human migraines but sometimes they incapacitated her for days, luckily Clyro was always there to ease her through it. She slammed her foot down on the accelerator, the vampires growing smaller in the distance.  
>"Where's Gabriel?" she asked looking over her shoulder and noticing he wasn't there. She took everything in quickly, noticing James' already tear streaked face restarting to cry as Blue instinctively wrapped her arms around him. Shining turned to her, his expression so void of anything it was unsettling. She knew now that Gabriel was dead. He had been their first casualty since she actively started taking an interest in their magical and fighting skills. There would always be more casualties to come.<p>

Taking a sharp right back into the trees, the rover zipped between them, it was starting to get a little brighter and the vampires were still chasing them. Darquesse caught glimpses of them using the trees to make up speed but they weren't going to catch her, she could just drive away now but leaving a loose end probably wouldn't be the best idea, so she turned back onto the beach and slowed her pace. The vampires came pelting from the trees and body slammed the car pushing the tyres off the ground on one side then the other. Their claws dragged down the sides, digging into it to gain purchase.

"What do we do?" Saskia yelled over the growling and the banging from the outside. Shining was holding James down in his seat keeping him away from the windows. Clyro looked as calm as ever as his head turned to face Darquesse.  
>"Fletcher!" Darquesse spun at hearing one of the girls shout the teleporter's name. Fletcher looked immediately shaken up as the vampires continued to assault the car.<br>"Skulduggery sent me to tell you the plan." Fletcher said as he was thrown to the other side of the car nearly landing on Shining. He face planted the seat and twisted up so he could see Darquesse. "You need to go back to the cave and wait for us. Skulduggery's said we shouldn't be more than twelve hours."  
>"Yeah right," Darquesse replied unconvinced. One of the vampires had started head butting the front window, Darquesse stayed there unamused but it encouraged Fletcher to talk a bit faster. "If we are delayed we will contact you, you still have Sanguine in the boot don't you?"<br>"Of course." Clyro answered casually with a wave of his hand.  
>"Good. Make sure you keep him. Lock him back in the cells when you get back. China said the defences will be down once you return, but you mustn't be followed. Can you handle that?" He was only just catching his breath back when the car was suddenly pushed on its side. None of the windows broke but the chaises flexed slightly. The teens and Fletcher had all landed in a heap on the side of the car, meanwhile Darquesse and Clyro were still cemented in their seats. Darquesse was getting irritated with all the screaming, she needed to get out and kick these bitches. She heard one more long scratch on the side of her precious car and saw red.<br>"For fuck's sake!" She flung open the driver's side door with one fluid movement and then the door was pulled shut behind her by Clyro. No one messed with her car.  
>"Fletcher, fancy helping?" Darquesse almost sang through the window, and then with a wink to Fletcher she dropped from the door and disappeared from view. The rocking on the car had stopped, the vampires had a new distraction now.<br>"Damn it." Muttered Fletcher before teleporting.

Fletcher caused a distraction for long enough so Darquesse could push the rover back onto its wheels. Once up righted the frame bulged then shrunk again to its original shape and with Clyro behind the wheel zoomed away towards the trees. Clyro drove off for about a minute then yanked the wheel down and spun the rover so they were directly facing Darquesse in the distance.

Teleporting next to Darquesse, the two vampires stopped and gauged their challenge.  
>"You got a plan on how to fight these?" Fletcher asked, he didn't like vampires and she could hear the slight hint of anxiety in his voice.<br>"Not really, just wing it I suppose."  
>They stood shoulder to shoulder, Fletcher side glanced at her and his heart jolted a little. It had been a long time since he had seen Valkyrie, he did quite enjoy working with her and Skulduggery when they needed him, and it did bring him and Valkyrie together after all. He couldn't deny that Darquesse still reminded him of Valkyrie and it took his mind a few seconds every time to remember that she wasn't Valkyrie, she wasn't the girl he once loved, the girl that he would drop anything for still after so many years. His relationship with her reflection didn't work out well, especially after Skulduggery told her parents she wasn't real. Fletcher hadn't seen Stephanie for a while either, she practically avoided him at all costs until he got the point.<p>

Darquesse turned to him her eyes bold and bright for a change.  
>"Fletcher, if I asked you to do something for me… would you do it?" Fletcher couldn't pull his eyes from hers.<br>"Yes," he replied after a second of hesitation.

The grey sky was letting the sun rise and still let some of the light through, the morning looked dull and the pouring rain came from thick dark clouds above that were threatening to bring on the storm. The whole beach had got darker as the weighty droplets pelted the sand making it stick together and harden. It made the surface more solid under the tyres of the rover for a faster getaway. Now that the vampires were far away the teens were all piled up behind the front seat trying to squint and focus on Darquesse who had just thrown one of the vampires into the sea, it was thrashing as it dissolved like the _Wicked Witch_ from _The Wizard of Oz_. The last vampire hunched over and slowly started circling Darquesse. It kept its eye's on her movements in case she gave any indication of using the sea as a weapon, which had already killed the other vampire.  
>"Where's Fletcher?" Shining asked. "He was there a second ago."<br>"He probably teleported to get something he could batter a vampire with." Blue whispered as she adjusted her position on the seat so she was leaning further over into the front than Shining was, since his head was too big and getting in the way of her view.

To their surprise they saw Fletcher's tan coat appear behind the vampire for a split second before teleporting away again just as the vampire turned. It was one of his favourite tricks and it almost always worked.

Almost.

The vampire had grown accustomed to Fletcher's rhythm quite quickly and the last time Fletcher appeared behind it, the vampire threw out its clawed hand and let it scrape through flesh. The vampire immediately charged at Darquesse who punched out and hoisted it over her head. She caught a fleeting glimpse of Fletcher on the sand, his body had been opened up and his liquids seeped out discolouring the soaked shingle.

The vampire ran at her, its back to the sea, it jumped high into the air and angled it's landing to drop straight on her head. While the vampire was at its peak, Darquesse threw her arms up into the air and a colossal wave surged up behind the vampire. The upsurge was being pulled forward and pushed so high that the vampire barely had time to look over its shoulder before gallons of sea water was dumped on it crushing it to the ground and taking away it's dissolved body in the back wash.

"It's over." Shining said sagging back a little in his seat until he felt a soft but firm slap against the top of his head.  
>"Don't say that you idiot, you just jinxed us." Blue scolded.<br>"No I didn't, don't be overdramatic." Shining rubbed his head soothing the sting. When he looked back at Blue, her face had drained of colour.  
>"Blue? What's wr-"<br>Blue got a grip on the back of his head and turned it so he could see Darquesse in the distance. They had seen her starting to walk back to the rover until she stopped suddenly. They couldn't see why she had stopped, the entire car dropped in temperature like a chill had drifted through and latched onto their warm bodies.

They saw them just after Darquesse had. Even with the lack of light, they could see them clearly. Darquesse was their target, they were locked on to her. Shining felt Blue wrap her hand around his arm in fear. None of them could look away as vampires emerged from the break in the trees and slowly closed in on Darquesse. After the first row there was another and another. White alabaster skin was continuing up the beach towards Darquesse and spread back into the trees. It took a whole minute for them all to emerge and when Darquesse did a quick count, she realised there was just less than five hundred vampires all staring at her waiting to rip her apart.

Clyro slipped the rover into reverse and gradually drove it past the trees at the end of the beach until it was hidden from sight.  
>"What are you doing? We can't leave her," Saskia yelled twisting in her seat to look at Clyro. When he ignored her she pulled on the door handle to try and get out but it was locked. She yanked on it but the door was a lot stronger than her and then a hand came out and slammed her back in her seat.<br>"Sit down. Stop making a nuisance of yourself." Clyro said calmly, his eyes were fixed on Darquesse as the vampires slowly approached her. The only movement Darquesse had made was turning her body to face the vampires fully. She wanted to see them in their over confidence moments before she took it away.  
>"I'm not being a nuisance, I want to help her. You should be helping her too." Saskia whined as she fidgeted in her seat.<br>"Let me tell you something," Clyro started finally dragging his eyes away from Darquesse and looking at Saskia full on. She felt her insides turn cold once those eyes were directed at her. He lent forward so the illuminations under his skin were reflecting onto her face. She couldn't help moving back slightly. "If you go out there the only thing you are going to do is fuck up everything Darquesse is doing. You need to realise you aren't as special as you think you are. You may be able to do magic but until you have become a master of your chosen discipline you are nothing. You hear me? Nothing. Stop kidding yourself and do as you are told."

The Range Rover went silent and Clyro assumed his original position staring out of the window like nothing had happened. Darquesse still looked calm and all it took was a fleeting glance from her and Clyro turned the car around and drove away.

Glancing into the distance Darquesse saw the rover quickly disappear from view. They wouldn't get far before she caught up, it was all depending on how quickly she could eliminate this huge problem in front of her. Nearly five hundred vampires, she had to admit she had never had a challenge quite like that before. She would be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to it. Could she even do it? She wanted to find out.

"Do you think I need a catchphrase?" She said lightly out loud. The vampires closing in on her made only the slightest acknowledgment of her speaking. "All the greats have a catchphrase, but I've never been good with words. I tend to excel at the practical approach. So a catch phrase wouldn't really work would it? So… in that case I give you this… instead."

Darquesse raised her right hand extending her middle finger and aiming it at the vampires in the front row, she beamed when the vampires jutted forward picking up speed. The alabaster white met her dark and the beach was turned into utter devastation.

They hoped to retrieve all four God-Killer's and be back on Irish soil within twelve hours. Everyone laughed at Skulduggery until they realised he wasn't joking. The Midnight Hotel grew in London and Tanith stepped out. Being an English citizen Tanith hoped she could slip into the Repository relatively easily. Her superior knowledge of the building's layout and secret passageways gave her the distinct advantage but she could still get into trouble. Weather she had the sword or not she had to be out of there and at the rendezvous point before the Midnight Hotel left without her. The Midnight Hotel rumbled and Tanith was lost from view on the streets of London.

The air drizzled and the sky was grey in Germany. Before leaving, China brought out her raven black umbrella and popped it open above her head before making her way over the cobbles. The residence of Johann Stark was only a few minutes away. China resisted the urge to out-rightly tut at seeing that man again. _The dagger better be worth it_, she thought to herself.

Anton gave Skulduggery a pat on the back as he exited the hotel. The bow resided with a group of mortal gangsters who had territory in the Chicago area. Skulduggery and Ghastly looked pretty up for the challenge they were about to face.

Finally Dexter and Saracen were dropped off in Poland. The spear was in the clutches of a mad hermit hidden in some cave. Anton had the slightest feeling Dexter and Saracen were going to enjoy this a little too much.  
>Once Anton was left alone he cloaked the Midnight Hotel and waited for his first pick up. Whoever was finished first would ring and be collected, then they would try and contact the others still remaining in the field in case any of them needed help.<p>

Sitting at his desk, Anton had his legs crossed sucking all the milk chocolate from his chocolate bar. His attention was drawn to his phone laid on the desk in front of him, when it beeped with a text message. It was from Dexter, it read; 'Just got the spear will be at the rendezvous point in 30 mins.' Anton looked at his watch and went back to his chocolate bar.

"Is it really going to take us half an hour?" Saracen asked lugging himself out of the cave after Dexter. Dexter gave a short laugh.  
>"No, the rendezvous point is just over there." Dexter pointed across the quiet street, the spear was safe in his other hand.<br>"Then why did you text that to Anton?" Saracen caught up to him with a confused stare.  
>"In all this chaos don't you want just half an hour to stop and breath?<br>The rocks quickly turned into grass and in less than a minute they would be at the rendezvous point. They found a small wooden shelter further down the coastal pathway before the small fishing village came into view.  
>"Yeah, I guess so." Saracen sat down on the dry bench inside, Dexter followed and joined him on the bench. They could smell the ocean as it drifted on a cool breeze, the evening air slightly chilly but manageable.<p>

Clyro pulled over at a motorway café so the teens could rush out, go to the toilet and buy anything for their grumbling stomachs. It wasn't until they were walking across the car park that they realised they had no money. Clyro appeared at their side dumped a couple of notes into Shining's hand and warned them not to be too long. He waited by the car, it was mid afternoon now but the traffic wasn't busy and Clyro was able to spot, quite easily Darquesse emerging from the edge of the car park and saw her walk towards him. She was covered in dried blood that was smeared over her skin. Her black clothes were stained and still damp in areas clinging to her skin, her hair looked like it was heavily gelled when really it was blood giving it a slick look.

"Have fun?" Clyro asked her when she got close enough.  
>"Oh yeah. But I need a shower." Darquesse replied with a leer. Clyro pointed with his thumb over his shoulder to the public toilets and shower rooms that were mostly used by long distance drivers.<br>"Fancy getting me some shampoo and stuff?" Darquesse looked at Clyro with her most innocent face, he laughed and headed off towards the café that was surrounded by other convenience shops.

Twenty minutes later and they were back on the road with Darquesse at the wheel. The teens all surprisingly had fallen asleep but it wasn't peaceful. They would have nightmares and they would never truly go away. Clyro looked to be asleep too, his eyes were closed and his breathing came in slow drawn out beats. The only company Darquesse had was the slight banging that was coming from the boot.

Darquesse had a speaker in the boot, she knew it would come in handy when she wanted to listen to her prisoners. She physically delighted in Billy's dramatic reaction when her voice came out of the speaker right by his ear. He was all squished up and couldn't move into any comfortable position so the banging was him trying to adjust his position, the space was just too small, exactly the way Darquesse had planned. She didn't want her captives getting comfortable. She heard him squeak and she nearly woke everyone up with her laughter.

"So why are you claustrophobic?" her voice sounded genuine over the speaker if a little crackly.  
>"That's a stupid question isn't it?" Sanguine replied shortly.<br>"No." Was her simply answer. "It's either you talk and tell me why or you lay there in that tiny, dark compact space and have a panic attack before we stop."  
>Sanguine sighed in frustration.<br>"It was because of my Dad, ok?" He answered quietly but firmly. He didn't want to sound like an idiot. Using his power so often had made him overcome his fear, he just wanted something to complain about. He was especially looking for a way to annoy Ghastly. But he had been afraid once and his Dad was definitely the reason.

"Oh, that arsehole."  
>"That's my Dad you're talking about." There was no malice in his voice, he was more amused than offended.<br>"I'm aware… But he was though," she mumbled. There was a moment of silence before she heard a brief soft laugh.  
>"You're right, he was."<br>"So what made you become an assassin?" She asked knowing he probably wasn't going to say much else on the subject of his Dad.  
>"Good money… and it was easy." Sanguine replied sincerely.<br>"Do you not ever get tired of people wanting to put you in jail or wanting you dead?"  
>"It's what makes my job so fun." Sanguine's eyes were wandering in the dark, her voice being the only thing that filled the void he was in. "You can't tell me you don't feel the same thing. That rush, that energy you get when you take away everything that person could have been. The rest of their lives just vanish at your fingertips." He chuckled when he heard nothing back.<br>"Thought so," he said continuing to chuckle to himself.  
>"I've never killed anyone for money." She said finally.<br>"Perhaps not but I bet you have done it out of boredom before."  
>"Only to those who deserved it."<br>"What gives you the right to judge that?"  
>"The fact that no one can stop me even if they wanted to. I would tread very carefully if I was you Sanguine, we know who your boss is, and I don't even think you know, but we do and when I get my hands on him, the whole country will hear his screams."<p>

The silence that followed confirmed to Darquesse that Sanguine wasn't as connected as he thought. She didn't get a response for the remainder of the journey, she took that as her winning.

_Entering the shabby hospital, Fraa Shackleton walked quickly making his way through the white washed corridors. He hated this place, he didn't know why Mevolent had sentiment attached to it. He saw Mevolent's family crest on some of the archways that he passed under, it gave him a chill really and on some level he wished he had never gotten involved. He was heading to meet Mevolent now and he had a feeling Cuff who had abandoned him at the beach the moment his tank was compromised had come running back to Mevolent without him. He was happy however that his craftsmanship had worked on Darquesse and it was only a matter of time before he got to see her again. He could barely contain the elation building up within him as he reached the heavy, steel doors he was aiming for._

_The steels doors opened up to stone steps descending into pitch black, he took them quickly, his shoes tapping in sync. He hurried through the dark knowing the way like the back of his hand and quickly came to a corridor that was lit with flaming lanterns on the walls. Following them he came to his destination and stopped._

_Mevolent was sat in an elegantly carved throne, slumped down one elbow resting on the arm of the throne supporting his face, his legs were sprawled across the floor, and he didn't look amused. The wood the throne was made from was still shiny, accommodating for his unusually tall structure by having a wide set seat and a high back rest. The back rest had a strange carving embedded into the edging going from where the back joined the seat, up and over the top then back down the either side. Mevolent leaned forward at Fraa's entrance enabling him to see his family crest engraved into the back of the throne._

"_Fraa, you made it back I see." Mevolent's voice cut through the air, it was loud and demanded attention but he didn't seem like he was being anything more than casual. Fraa walked further into the room.  
>"I would've been here sooner if Cuff hadn't of left me, Sir."<br>"Yes," said Mevolent slightly amused if his smirk was any indication. "He arrived here half an hour ago, he had some interesting news that just couldn't wait." Mevolent's small eyes fixed on Fraa, his stare had turned intense, maybe he had good news to tell.  
>"Oh? What was the news?" Fraa's smile started to fade when Mevolent's lip turned up and his eyebrows furrowed slightly.<br>"That you, Fraa, used the mental conditioning I ordered you to build within Valkyrie's mind in order to control Darquesse earlier today." Fraa gagged at the accusation._

"I… I… no that's no-"Mevolent held up his hand to hush Fraa's guilty rambling.  
>"Even though I specifically said those blocks were to go unnoticed by Darquesse herself until the time was right for me to use them. So you understood nothing could make her aware of them, didn't you?"<br>"Yes, of cou-"  
>"Do you think she is still unaware?" He fixed his dark beady eyes on Fraa. It was like he was being pinned to the wall, a dense, invisible weight felt like it was pushing down on his shoulders. "Do you think she is still oblivious to the fact that you commanding her made her own body act against her? Because I do not."<br>"I was only trying to-"  
>"To what? Get your leg over in the sand while no one was watching?" Fraa was a pleading mess, it infuriated him that Cuff had seen him and told Mevolent. It seemed to him that Cuff was just trying to lick Mevolent's arse.<br>"Mevolent, I am sorry. I just got carried away." Fraa begged.

"Of course you did." Mevolent got to his feet extended his knees so he was over three feet taller than Fraa. "We all do sometimes. But you… may have cost me my entire operation that I have spent years executing perfectly, and that, Fraa is unforgivable."

"What are you going to do with me?" Fraa managed to splutter out. He was trembling as the fear took over his body like an infection.  
>"Well," Mevolent mused weighing up his options playfully in front of Fraa to maintain his level of anxiety, "What I would like to do is leave you here for the Skeleton Detective. I'm positive he will come here at some point and once he does, he could have you. If he knows what you tried to do, I can imagine him doing despicable things to you." As Fraa's face drained, Mevolent's brightened.<p>

Skulduggery had been the one to knock Fraa off Darquesse so of course he knew, and thanks to Cuff, so did Mevolent. He started to chuckle. "However…" the hope rising on Fraa's face was pathetic. "I can't allow any more information getting out and you are too much of a liability now."

"_No Mevolent, please. I can make it up to you. There must be a way."  
>"There's no w-"<br>"I could get you the God-Killer sword." Mevolent's eyebrow peaked.  
>"Do you even know where it is located?"<br>"Erm… the last I heard it was in the British Sanctuary." Fraa's mouth had long since dried out completely, his tongue felt like sandpaper inside his mouth.  
>"No. It's not there anymore."<em>

_Mevolent clicked his fingers and a door just behind him opened. A figure walked into the room, Fraa's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the sword in the man's hands. The sword shimmered in the light and was so long Fraa felt like he could be impaled from across the room. Fraa paid no attention to the man holding the sword _or_ his golden eyes._

_Fraa watched the man as he laid the sword on the twisted table next to Mevolent.  
>"You see, Fraa, I was able to acquire the sword without your help and without the British Sanctuary even aware that it now resides with me. They will continue to be in the dark for another three weeks until they do their next inventory check. I have been left with plenty of time to forward my plan."<em>

"_I can get you something else," Fraa stammered, his only bargaining chip was gone and he knew it. "Name it."  
>Mevolent looked up and down his pitiful form for a moment while he pondered.<br>"No." he said finally. "I think you have surpassed your usefulness. I don't need you anymore Fraa, therefore you are a loose end.  
>"No!" Fraa screamed.<em>

"_I think I have somewhat of an idea on how your friends would feel if they became aware of your betrayal." Mevolent teased as he observed every detail of the sword he had wanted to get his hands on for decades.  
>"I didn't betray my friends." The unmistakable voice of Ravel replied, his voice was soft and laced with no intimidation. He was stood in the centre of the room calmly watching Mevolent caress his blade.<em>

"What would you call it then?" Mevolent turned and crossed his arms ready to listen to Ravel's answer.  
>"Doing what is necessary." He replied without skipping a beat.<br>"Believe me Ravel, most of what we have done wasn't necessary. I just got bored quickly and sometimes things need spicing up." Mevolent's smile not was not a pleasant sight on his face.

"You call what you are doing to the Unnamed spicing things up? It's more like torture. And it will torment Skulduggery to the point where neither of us will be safe."  
>"Maybe not." Mevolent mused hardly worried. "But don't think for one second that Skulduggery would abandon you and go for me. When he finds out that you aided the Unnamed in bombing the Sanctuary, you won't be easily forgiven. You are most definitely a dead man Ravel."<br>"I don't expect to be forgiven. I suspect they will try and kill me, but that won't happen until we have found the Tomb."  
>"That shouldn't be too long since the Sanctuary is empty now and most of Roarhaven are too scared to step out of their shabby houses."<br>Mevolent placed his fingers on the sword's blade and started stroking it lovingly.

"_Where is Nadir?" Mevolent looked up and pinned Ravel with his gaze._

_"He's with Dr Nye, his injury was more severe than we thought. Nye is confident Nadir will be able to shunt the underground by the start of next week, once he has shunted the specific building parts we can begin preparations." Ravel explained, his demeanour never crumbling under Mevolent's stare. Finally he nodded._

_"According to Cuff's reports all the Acid Battery were killed, he however managed to escape early without being seen."_

_"That's correct. All the vampires were killed too. Our team is there now cleaning away the bodies before mortals stumble upon them._

_"No other bodies?" _

_"No."_

_"And Sanguine was never found?"_

_"He was seen, Darquesse used him as a shield to lead them into a trap. Fraa didn't see where he went but we have to assume they still have him." _

_"Yes we do." Mevolent stood and cracked his neck, he didn't necessarily have a kink but he enjoyed the habit of it. It reminded him that he could be broken, he wasn't invincible... not yet anyway. He started walking. Ravel fell into step with him and they passed through the two steel double doors and out into the long corridor.  
><em>

_"We have to keep them busy, I don't want them intervening when Nadir's shunts the underground below the Sanctuary."_

_"What did you have in mind?" Ravel asked cautiously. A sly smile spread across Mevolent's face. Ravel didn't like the way it sat on his face. It was too happy and misleading to be on the face of someone, for want of a better word evil._

_"The Unnamed needs a test drive, I'm sure that will give them a shock."_

_"She is completely unpredictable."_

_"I know, that's what makes this exciting."_

Tanith was the last to phone and when she stepped through the door, the rest realised why she had been so urgent on the phone. She had come back empty handed.  
>"Tanith, where is the sword?" Skulduggery asked.<br>"It wasn't there." Tanith replied closing the front door and joining the rest in the reception area.  
>"What do you mean?" Ghastly questioned.<br>"I mean, it wasn't there. I got down to where the case holding the sword is, but it was empty. No sword in there."  
>"Did you ask someone about it?" Dexter asked from one of the sofas.<br>"I couldn't without implicating myself, once they realise it's gone." Tanith replied slightly worried.  
>"You did the right thing." Ghastly said softly rubbing her arm.<br>"Ghastly's right." Skulduggery stated. "If anyone remembered seeing you, or you asking about the sword, you would be their first suspect."  
>"So who has the sword then?" asked Dexter. "I don't think I like the fact that someone else got to it before we did. That's just downright irritating." Skulduggery turned to Dexter.<br>"Who loves swords?" he said. The realisation came to them all quickly, it was obvious really. "The good news is that we have the spear, dagger and bow. Three God-Killers to one. So I say we have the advantage in that department."

Skulduggery opened the Echo Stone and a blue flickering image of Grouse appeared.

"Is there ever going to be a time when you don't need my help?" Grouse grumbled at the sight of Skulduggery.

"Not now Grouse. This is important." Skulduggery urged, Grouse waved his hand absentmindedly at him.

"Very well, go on."

"Have you heard of ways to control sorcerers but not by using their name?"

Grouse's face was lined with confusion already. "What is all this about?"

"I witnessed Darquesse in a confrontation with a sorcerer called Fraa- something."

"Fraa Shackleton?"

"You've heard of him?"

"Yes I have. Nasty piece of work that one. He's a sensitive but focuses on the mind and how it behaves rather than telling the future."

"So it's possible he could have done something to her then?"

"What happened in the confrontation?"

"They spoke, I was too far away to hear them clearly. She went to attack him but she just stopped. Then Fraa went to attack her instead, that was when I stepped it. She couldn't react. Is it possible that he could have used his power on her there and then to save his life? Was it a defence tactic?" Skulduggery had some many theories, he just didn't know which one was right.

"No I don't think so."

"You don't sound so sure."

"From what I learnt about Fraa, he had to spend hours and hours with his victims in order to get into their heads and change their will. His victims are usually in induced comas while he works. But Darquesse is too powerful. If what you say is true, I don't know how he would have gotten close to her in order to work on her… unless…"

"Unless he got to Valkyrie first."

"Aww are you fellas talking about me?"

Turning behind them, Skulduggery and Grouse saw Darquesse perched on the desk just beyond. Her clothes were soaked in blood and had multiple tears that looked to be from claws, but she either hadn't noticed or didn't care. Her skin and hair looked clean as a whistle.

"I thought I felt my ears burning." she grinned relishing in the moment of catching Skulduggery red handed talking about her.

"What are you doing here Darquesse?" Her good mood quickly sunk faster than a ship and she graced Skulduggery with a scowl.

"Fletcher's dead." she replied bluntly not sparing anyone's feelings. She would have said it in a more sensitive manner but Skulduggery's irritation was clearly due to her showing up, so she couldn't give a fuck about feelings after that.

"The teleporter?" Grouse asked sympathetically.

"What happened?" Skulduggery cut in before Darquesse could answer Grouse.

"After you left, about five hundred vampires turned up-"

"What?" Grouse went pale, if it was possible, considering he was just an image. But his wide eyes and startled tone were a dead giveaway.

"I know, right." Darquesse beamed back. Her eyes were wide too but out of excitement from the memory of the thrills the fight gave her, it wasn't fear. "Fletcher was helping me but he got clawed to death before we had even taken out five of them. I handled the rest."

"You killed all those vampires?" Grouse asked in amazement.

"I certainly did, just ridding the world of scumbags, vampire by vampire."

"That's astonishing."

"Why thank- you."

"What about Fletcher?" Skulduggery cut in again, his tone hard. "Did you just leave him there?"

"No I went back for him. But there wasn't anything left."

"But you managed to assimilate his power, before he was killed. I presume that's how you got here. You teleported."

"Well that sentence was filled with accusation. You make it sound like I let him die on purpose for the soul reason of acquiring his power."

"That is how you got here, isn't it?" Skulduggery accused.

"I don't need someone to be dead before I can learn their power. Fletcher was practically dead when he offered his power to me. He knew his power was invaluable and it would be devastating to his side if his power died with him."

"I highly doubt Fletcher would have wanted you to be the only person in the world able to teleport."

"He didn't have a choice."

"What about Saskia and the others?"

"I'll catch up with Clyro and them when I leave here. They should be getting close to the caves now."

"Make sure you keep them safe, no one else dies. Can I trust you to do that?"

"Trust whatever you want. I'm not your puppet." Darquesse locked eyes with Skulduggery giving him a not too friendly look then teleported out.

The navy sky had gulped away the rest of the daylight. Not that they could see the sky as the Midnight Hotel grew inside the opening cavern in China's residence where the waterfall covered the entrance. They all exited the hotel making their way down the spiral steps with Skulduggery leading the way. Upon reaching the bottom he froze. In turn the rest behind him did too.

China's front room which was once fit for royalty was now the equivalent to a bombsite. She gasped at the view, her hands flying to her mouth, her lower lip hitting the floor.

All the furniture was shattered and broken, there was a thick layer of dust and smoke, shards of wood and stone and clay smothered the floor and any remains of China's possessions. The shredded carpet was full of claw marks raking down and breaking through the fabrics in meter long strides. Instantly they became aware that vampires had been in this room, probably did most of the damage too. But where were the others?

One of the sofas, the long three seat sofa had deep slashes across the leather cushions. The two seater was split in half, like it had been pulled apart if the hook marks on either side were any indicator.

Skulduggery took out his revolver and slowly made his way through the wreckage. Tanith had pulled her sword, Ghastly was by her side on high alert. Anton carried the leather bag that contained the God-Killers inside and held the spear in his hand. He passed the God-Killers to Dexter who strapped the bag on his back without question. Anton wanted to keep his hands free as he assumed he would probably need his gist. They found patches of blood but no bodies.

They followed the corridors that were now ruined, checking each corner and room as they passed. There were so many of them, it took them little time even considering how cautious they were being, but they encountered nothing.  
>"Should I ring one of them? Tanith asked quietly.<br>"No." Skulduggery responded. "We don't want to alert anyone to our presence. Whoever is here, we will need the element of surprise to get the upper hand."

They were approaching the swimming pool, they carried on past it and then the training room before turning right at the end of the walkway. Suddenly Skulduggery stopped.  
>"What is it?" Ghastly asked from his shoulder.<br>"I believe I can hear music." Silence feel among them and the quiet hints of a beaty rhythm music could be heard. China made her way to the front.

"That's coming from the Coliseum." She took the lead and they pushed forward.  
>"Does anyone else want to know what a Coliseum is?" Dexter's voice drifted quietly to everyone but China who had created a small gap between herself and the group.<br>"Yep." Tanith said as Ghastly chimed, "Wouldn't mind knowing." and Saracen breathed a "Oh yeah."  
>Skulduggery remained silent, it wasn't clear if he was also confused or if his silence was due to him knowing about the Coliseum already.<p>

The Coliseum wasn't really a Coliseum at all. China had installed a sort of homage to the building in which she watched people and things being tortured inside. It was a past time she enjoyed after she was first forced to live in caves, but she had lost the pleasure in it quite quickly and it had been locked off for years.

The Coliseum itself was carved into the stone in a circular shape over twenty meters in diameter. The circular base was the only floor, but the walls went up five storeys, the fifth story like all others looked down onto the ground through glass walls. The circular shape allowed the corridor to wrap around it and spiral down through the five floors. The corridor acted as a gallery to the empty space in the centre, the glass being black on the outside and transparent inside. That meant whoever was being tortured or forced to fight wouldn't be able to see their admiring spectators.

The corridor China lead them down connected to the Coliseum on the fifth floor, the only exit once you enter floor one from the centre. The glass they came to looked out and they could see the other side of the Coliseum, the corridor they came in sloped down to the right, curling round to seamlessly connect to the fourth floor. They ran up to the glass, the music was louder now and they were shocked by what they saw.

They saw what appeared to be Darquesse, Clyro, Shining, Saskia, Blue and James all fighting each other with swords.  
>They were on the ground floor, the stone walls met the ground which was just dirt and odd debris. Embedded in the walls of the ground level were six iron doors stiffly bolted into iron arch ways that just threatened death with a look. The metal was torn and jagged, thin spikes protruded outwards reaching for its victims.<p>

China had on occasion thrown people who had crossed her into the Coliseum, then open one of the doors to let a vampire or some other sort of monster in from the cells she kept them in.

The cells were interlinked directly with the Coliseum so China didn't have to risk going down there herself to guide them through. The door would open and without hesitation they would sprint to their prey.

Skulduggery and the others sprinted without a second thought down the circular passageway, as they did the bodies of six vampires could be seen against the wall beneath where they had entered. As they got to level four, the fighting continuing unawares of the horde circling them, Clyro knocked James to the floor, his sword was flung to the floor out of his reach, he didn't get up.

They flew down to level three, their footsteps thundering against the stone floor. Darquesse kicked Saskia in the chest, she spun and slashed out with her sword but Darquesse blocked it with her hand, the cut healing instantly and she whacked the sword from Saskia's grip. Darquesse got her by the throat, whipping out her hand. Saskia went flying towards the stone wall. She frantically swung out her arms to slow her speed and she hit the wall with a light bounce, her air buffer working better than she thought. She fell to the ground, the whole front of her body stung to fuck. She didn't bother didn't getting up.

By the time they reached level two Clyro was going sword to sword with Darquesse. They had absolutely no idea what was going on. Or what the fuck was happening down there.

Level one and they were on the ground floor. The end opened up and a large iron door was waiting for them, locked. It was the only door of the six that didn't open up to a tunnel of cells, they were all thankful of that.

Blue and Shining came into view. Blue had lost her sword and was dodging Shining's wide swings.  
>China pulled her arm sleeve up and pressed two sigils that had been perfectly tattooed into her skin. They lit up green and the same sigils lit up either side of the door ahead granting them entrance.<p>

They flew through it just as Blue twisted the sword out of Shining's grasp and kicked him in the gut. She spun as he fell on his back, she brought the sword high and then down on his head.

Shining smiled when the sword stopped just before splitting his forehead in half.  
>"We win." Blue said grinning. "We win!" she yelled backing off and jumping up and down gracing everyone with her victory dance. She laughed and fist bumped the air. "Woo! Oh yeah, we won. We are <em>da <em>bomb." She quickly broke into another celebratory dance as the others stopped fighting and together waited for her to stop.

Abruptly stopping at the threshold, Skulduggery and the others struggled to take in what they were witnessing.  
>"So," Blue sang loudly, swinging her sword around. "Who's up for round tw-" Her eyes focused on the doors and in turn everyone in the centre followed her train of sight.<p>

Silence was the only thing that existed in that moment as the two groups starred. The seconds dragged on for what seemed like hours before anyone uttered a sound.

"You're back early." Blue stated trying to subdue her embarrassment. She brought down her sword and stepped towards them trying to sound cheery and not so flustered.

Saskia hurried to Blue's side, trying to take the heat off her. Skulduggery's gaze fell on her. "We were going to have everything cleaned up before you got back." Saskia's words quickly dissolved into nothingness when Skulduggery's gaze didn't get any friendlier.

"What happened here?" His voice was low. Saskia wasn't used to being on the receiving end of that voice, he had never taken that tone with her before. Saskia gulped as the thought dropped on her like a sack of bricks that she was in serious trouble, with her mentor that she was seriously crushing on.

Saskia couldn't help it, she glanced at Darquesse for help. Darquesse hadn't moved from her position, the furthest away from the door with a clear view of everyone in the room. She glanced at Saskia for a second but looked over her pretty quickly.

The group at the door did not look happy, some of them looked angry, some were confused. China looked as if she was about to turn red, probably because of the mess. Darquesse allowed herself to internally smirk. She wasn't sure how Skulduggery looked on this whole situation. But his voice made her insides curl up.

"We were just… you know, trying to get better. After yesterday we all agreed that we needed to, and Darquesse had this idea of using vampires-" Saskia had casually waved her hand in Darquesse's direction and now all eyes fell on her.

Well how long was it really going to take anyway?  
>Saskia tried to shoot her an apologetic glance once she realised she had just dropped Darquesse in it, but she never returned her look. Darquesse's dark, glimmering eyes were not afraid or intimidated but she did look reserved, especially when Skulduggery's tone was directed at her instead.<p>

"Where on earth did you get vampires?"  
>"I would tell you," her tone was light, too light. "But I would have to kill you." she replied jokingly. She assumed Skulduggery didn't know about China's rather big collection of beasties locked only a floor below where Saskia and the others slept. She wanted to keep that little bit of information back for when it would hurt China the most to reveal it.<p>

As expected, her aloofness didn't go down too well with Skulduggery. He had put away his gun and straightened his shirt and tie, then he moved to his hat to adjust its position.

"Saskia, take the others and go and rest for the night."  
>"But-" She tried to protest.<br>"Now."

Saskia quickly turned her head away from him before she started crying in front of everyone. She bit back the tears and ignored his glances waiting for the others to catch up with her. Once they did they left through the door.

Tanith and Ghastly moved into the Coliseum to let the teens move through the doorway they were occupying.  
>"We'll make sure they get settled." Saracen said.<br>"Yeah and I will put these somewhere safe." Dexter finished hinting towards the bag on his back. Anton followed them out without a word.

"What were you thinking?" Skulduggery's voice was a little off, it gave Darquesse a chill as they locked eyes.

"I was using vampires as a training tool for them. It was in a controlled environment, and yes things did get a bit out of hand bu-"  
>"A bit?" China almost screeched, interrupting Darquesse with her irritating voice. "You completely destroyed my house!"<p>

Darquesse scowled in return to China's interruptions but she didn't address it.  
>"Not all of what you call a house was destroyed."<p>

Ignoring her taunt, China continued. "They tore apart my living room!"  
>"At least I stopped the vampires from getting out. And to be honest, I only needed to step in once or twice. Your investments are improving."<p>

Ghastly finally spoke, but his tone was anything but forgiving.  
>"You think that excuses this? You put four grieving children in undeniable danger. I understand you live your life recklessly, but it is not your place to influence their young, impressionable minds."<p>

She had to admit it. It stung what Ghastly said, his tone was worse. It implied that she got her kicks out of exploiting people and watching them fight to the death.  
>"It may have been a drastic way to do it," Darquesse tried hard to keep her tone even. "But strong emotions make you stronger. I used their grief to motivate them into using it to access their powers."<br>"You have taught them nothing. Only that they have to be emotionally stunted in order to use their powers." Skulduggery hissed, her eyes returned to his.  
>"I'm trying to help." She insisted sternly.<br>"How can we trust you after all this?" China interrupted bitterly. "We know you were at the Sanctuary. We saw you on the CCTV footage, and now you are pitting fifteen year olds against vampires and each other." Darquesse could sense the smug undertones of China's words as she said them. She obviously thought Darquesse was in a pretty bad situation.  
>"I have to say, Darquesse, I am disappointed in you." Ghastly quietly huffed out, closing his arms over his chest and staring at the floor. "I wasn't naive to think you were sane or good. But I wanted you to be for Tanith's sake. You let her down."<p>

Darquesse took in every word, like a stab to the gut, but said nothing.

"Darquesse," Tanith's voice was unexpectedly timid for her usual manner. "I think you were probably trying to help in your own way. But you have to admit that what you did was stupidly dangerous." Tanith ignored the frown. "I'm so astonished you would do something like this-"  
>"I'm not." China cut in. "It was only a matter of time. She made up that whole story about Mevolent so we wouldn't suspect her. I guess you thought we would just let you do what you wanted. Think you're special do you? Or that Skulduggery wouldn't be able to go against you if you made those Valkyrie-puppy eyes at him?"<br>"China!" Tanith scolded, looking to her and tutting. "Would you shut up!"

"No!" China fiercely shot back. "She has to go. There is no way we can even hope of surviving this if we don't make her go."  
>"China, you can't be serious." complained Ghastly, astonished.<br>"It makes sense. Tell me you don't agree."  
>Darquesse remained silent, her eyes avoiding the only place she wanted to look during all the commotion.<p>

Skulduggery. He was watching her, she could tell, but she couldn't tell what he was thinking. She didn't want to look at him in case his body language gave it away. Although undoubtedly he was masking his true feelings, he did that, all the time.

Her eyes were trained on the floor, her face showing no emotion, no giveaways no nothing. The only thing she could deduce about Skulduggery was that he was standing perfectly still.

She looked to Tanith and Ghastly, their face dropping as they slowly, internally admitted to themselves that they agreed with China.  
>"You need to leave now." China ordered finally turning to Darquesse.<p>

"Are you going to make me?" Darquesse snorted with a half-hearted smirk. Talking to China just wasn't fun anymore.

"Look we have to talk about this." Ghastly complained quickly.  
>"Darquesse is an asset to us." Tanith joined in supporting Ghastly.<br>"And a threat," China shot Tanith a look she just couldn't meet. China was adamant. "The biggest. And we just have her living and working with us. Corrupting our younger generations. It's insanity. It stops now." China craned her neck and that smug, irritating smile returned. She remembered that look, it crept onto China's face like a slug and it only appeared when she was about to enjoy her next words immensely. Darquesse thought the expression looked ugly on the great Miss Sorrows. "And I don't have to make you, child. You will leave of your own accord… or you will once Skulduggery agrees with me."

Darquesse felt a sickening drop in her stomach. If Skulduggery told her to leave she would feel humiliated. And it made her furious to think she would be affected by it.  
>"And I know he will." China continued feeling confident now, she visibly stood a little taller on her stilettos. "How can he not? You let his <em>partner <em>fight a brutal vampire. I hardly think he will thank you for that." She folded her arms. Darquesse raised her head slightly and met China's fierce gaze.  
>"And where did I get those vampires from. China? Why don't you tell the whole room?"<p>

When China said nothing, Darquesse allowed herself a slight smile and continued. She saw movement in the background but didn't focus on it. She could tell it was Skulduggery raising his head.  
>"It couldn't possibly be that they were already here, locked away beneath our feet. You don't just happen to come across a vampire, not unless it was locked in one of the many cells connected to this room, that you kept to entertain yourself. That's a bit twisted isn't it?"<p>

"Are you calling me twisted?" China sneered.  
>"No, I'm calling you a crazy batty woman. But if you didn't need to hide it, if it wasn't creepy or illegal or a little bit desperate why didn't you tell Skulduggery?"<p>

She felt like she had entered a playground argument where the winner was decided by who turned to be the better liked person trying to be impressive.

China was caught speechless for a change. She turned to look at Skulduggery, a less cowardly act them simply avoiding his gaze like Darquesse had. She couldn't think of an excuse to tell him, so China stayed silent and waited.

"I'll deal with that later." Skulduggery said curtly. China huffed and looked away.

"It would seem," he started slowly turning to face Darquesse. "That we all would be a lot safer if you were not here. Rather than shock the teenagers into improving, you have most likely disrupted their learning and their mental health in unpredictable ways."

Darquesse's heart was beating so fast inside her chest, she could feel it in her neck and her temples. She wanted to look away from his skull but her eyes refused to do so. She ignored the slowly growing smile on China's face, she ignored the surprised expressions Ghastly and Tanith were now wearing.

He was kicking her out.

"If we do things like this, use your methods then we are causing unnecessary risks and that is not fair on Saskia or anyone else."

Darquesse didn't want to give anyone the satisfaction of hearing her beg. Her heart felt like it was shattering, to hear Skulduggery declare he wanted her to leave. But she didn't want to. A part of her knew that she could force them into letting her stay, she could threaten them or kill one of them, it would be so easy, just a flick of the wrist and they would all crumble, or be torn apart or dissolve into dust. It would elevate her mood for maybe a minute. But for once she couldn't see the point. So she ground her teeth to stop herself from breaking, from talking and possibly let herself fall to pieces in front of them.

"I… agree with… China. You and Clyro need to leave immediately and have no further contact with any of us."

Her heart sank, it deflated into nothingness.

She scrutinized Skulduggery silently and when he said nothing further, she walked between them without glancing back and disappeared through the door. Clyro gave the four a once over before following in Darquesse's thundering wake.


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hope you enjoy this one and PLEASE if you like it review. It makes it a lot more fulfilling writing a fanfiction if your readers don't stay silent. Let me know what you think.**

**Following The Darquesse**

**Chapter Nine  
><strong>

Dexter and Saracen were sat in one of the only rooms Darquesse's playtime with the vampires hadn't destroyed. The room was a decent size but not too big. China used it as her own personal drawing room and the end wall was the picturesque scene of a calming beach at sunset, powered by the sigils on the wall adjacent. Saracen liked watching the waves. They soothed him when his mind was racing. He realised he would need it when he noticed four people approaching the room.

Both Anton and Dexter turned when their friends and China entered the room. Before any of the males could speak, the voices of the females rang out loud and clear.

"I can't believe you actually did that!" Tanith shouted aiming her disapproval at China.

"Oh, shut your mouth." She sniped back.  
>"You really are a little cow aren't you?" Tanith insulted.<br>"At least I am prettier than you are, you skanky troll." Tanith's lip fell open. With that China stormed out of the room, moments later Tanith did the same in the opposite direction.

The men stayed quiet for a short while before Saracen broke the silence. "What happened?"

Ghastly walked across the room and sat on the sofa next to Dexter. He looked exhausted. Skulduggery stayed by the door.

"Darquesse and Clyro have gone."

The three previously unaware men all shared the same look of surprise.  
>"Why?" asked Dexter looking from Ghastly to Skulduggery.<p>

"Because I told them to go." Skulduggery finally replied. His tone was unsettling.

"So what happens now?" Anton's voice came from across the room.

"We have eliminated the Acid Battery as far as we know. So Mevolent or whoever is the culprit will need this time to recuperate." Skulduggery explained taking his hat off his skull and dusting lint off the brim before replacing it.  
>"I think that the hospital they took Darquesse to will be empty now, but it may give us some clues." he finished.<p>

"Isn't that risky?" Ghastly asked.

"Certainly." Skulduggery replied without skipping a beat. "But it's the only lead we have now that Darquesse is gone."  
>"Are you sure you're ok with that?" Ghastly asked more concerned. "Are you ok with her leaving? I know you wanted her to be-"<br>"It was necessary." Skulduggery cut him off. "We should probably rest. I think time is on our side, for now." He left without another word.

The waterfall came into view when Darquesse made it to the top of the spiral steps. She stormed into the cavern, Clyro was walking calmly beside her, keeping up with her with ease. He was made from her after all.

"The vehicle?" he asked sideways glancing at her.

"Leave it." she growled without being distracted.

"We are flying then?" Clyro continued.

"I need something to crush."

They could hear the waterfall. The roaring water growing more potent with every step.

"Anything in mind?" Clyro sounded half amused. Darquesse opened her mouth to reply and saw a red flash beneath her feet. The ground swallowed them both before Darquesse could utter the curse that was brewing. _Oh fuck._

Long raven hair appeared from behind a pillar in the far cavern wall. The palest of blue eyes peaked round to check the sigils had worked and were now locked. A slender finger touched a delicate wrist and a sigil lit up in deep purple. Blue eyes flicked up and hundreds of purple sigils of the same design she was pressing, lit up. They were scattered across the floor of the cavern. Reinforcing the stone so it couldn't be punched through. Not even Darquesse could penetrate those. The sigils shone brighter for a second then went out, fading to stone once again.

China Sorrows allowed herself a satisfying smile before heading back to her quarters.

Ghastly knocked on the door and waited for the response that would grant him entrance. There was no doubt the person inside could identify him from his knock so when the signal came through quickly, he stepped through the door and closed it behind him.

He took a few steps into the room, Skulduggery was sat in the chair reading. His hat was on the elegantly carved table beside him, and his revolver was placed neatly next to his hat. He looked up when Ghastly came into his room.

"They've gone." Ghastly said cautiously. "No sign of them. But they left the Range Rover."

Skulduggery nodded.

"That must have been hard." Ghastly looked down at his friend with sad curves through his scarred skin.

"I did what I had to, Ghastly." Skulduggery replied.

Ghastly took a moment and sat in the chair diagonal from Skulduggery.

"Would Angel's Blood have worked on her?" he asked leaning his elbows on his knees and his arms flopped into the space between his legs. Skulduggery didn't look at him when he spoke.

"Spoke to Grouse, he didn't hesitate to call me out on my madness. He said it would kill her, or best case scenario drive her insane."  
>"And there is no other way?"<p>

"None that I know of. I've exhausted every scrap I could find. I think it would be fair to say that Darquesse is not going anywhere. And Valkyrie Cain is nothing more than a memory now."

"I'm sorry, my friend." Ghastly said patting his shoulder and squeezing once he had closed the gap between them. "I know she meant a great deal to you, I know that you loved her. I wish, with every fibre of my being that I could bring her back to you."

Skulduggery finally looked up to Ghastly. "I feel like I have lost a part of me." he admitted quietly.

"That's what love feels like, my friend." Ghastly said sadly. "You remember the feeling."

Skulduggery tilted his head back down again. "I remember," he said pausing to pick his words. He didn't often unveil his feelings to others. Only ever to Ghastly but it was rare. He thought it pointless to burden others.

"But Valkyrie… was different. She was my partner in every way. If she hadn't of left for Russia, I believe… things would have eventually progressed. I never intended to act any differently, I don't think I would have known how to. But there was something unsaid, the way she looked at me… Do you really think that's what it was between us?" Skulduggery asked cautiously.

"Oh Skulduggery, I haven't seen anyone get that close to you for centuries. You needed something to live for and she gave it to you. I would hate to see you revert now that-"

"Now that I am alone again?" Skulduggery met his stare.

"You are never alone, Skulduggery." Ghastly patted his shoulder one more time before heading towards the door. He reached for the door handle then looked back before he turned it. "Remember that."

"Darquesse had made her intentions towards me clear but her motivations are cloudy." Skulduggery explained. "She had an affixation with me but even I am struggling to understand her reasoning."

"Yes, she definitely isn't shy around you."

"When Darquesse first emerged I believed that she thought of me as a threat, because I would fight at all costs against her taking Valkyrie over for good. But her behaviour is more primal, she doesn't intent to hurt me, she just…"

"Wants you." Ghastly said far too calmly to not be found funny. Ghastly realised that his chuckling was making Skulduggery amused too and it made him feel slightly better about his friend's mental state.

"For want of a better phrase- it would appear so." Skulduggery answered the remnants of chuckles leaving his voice.

"Do you think she will turn into a stalker?" Ghastly continued amused, he was pleased to see his friend still had his sense of humour when he tried to give him a stern glance and then his skull tilted indicating that he was smiling.

"Well, good luck with that my friend."

Ghastly left and the quiet filled the room. Skulduggery dipped his hand into his breast pocket and retrieved the small vial of Angel's Blood, he started rolling it between his fingers. The shimmering black glass held something within so powerful, so corrupt and it was his last chance. He closed the vial up in his palm and shoved it back into his pocket before slamming his fist down on the table.

It shattered under the weight and Skulduggery bent down to pick up his hat and gun before putting them on the table next to the bed.

Skulduggery couldn't deny that the Lord Vile inside him was attracted to Darquesse. She was dark like him and he felt the pull of his shadows whenever she was near. They wanted to get close to her and he feared sometime in the future she was going to be too strong to pull away from.

Skulduggery's phone rang in his pocket, he pulled it out.

"Hello, Cassandra."

The voice on the other side was raspy but clear. "Skulduggery dear," she said. "I think you need to come and see me."

"Have you had another vision?"  
>"No, but I will when you get here. It concerns Darquesse."<p>

"But you haven't had a vision about Darquesse in years."

"I know… and that's what worries me."

"I'll be right over."

It was dark as pitch underground, the only light source was the tiny illuminations making their way through Clyro's veins under his translucent skin. He lent against the cave wall with his arms folded while he watched Darquesse. She was hovering off the ground trying to punch her way through the ceiling above them, to no avail. She dropped and landed lightly on the ground.

"I should be able to get through those stupid sigils."

"Your power is dipping again." Clyro said as they started walking down the tunnel they had fallen in to. "Have you tried teleporting?"

"Yes." There was no need for Clyro to ask how that went. "You've noticed it too, then? I'm not as strong as I should be."

"Of course."

"You said nothing."

"I was not confident of the cause. But it has become clear now that it was this Fraa person, or he was involved somehow."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"I wear a top hat. I am nothing like Sherlock Holmes." They shared a moment of laughter then a comfortable silence set in.

"How long have you known something was wrong with me?" She asked glancing at him. She was surprised at his reply.

"A couple of years."

"What? A couple of years! If it's been going on that long, how have I never noticed?"

"I have thought about this and after what Fraa was able to do to you. It's likely you have mental blocks or barriers in your mind and they themselves stopped you from noticing."

"But I did notice, yeah it took me a few years."

"But you have yet to do anything about it."

"Well I would be doing something about it if I wasn't stuck down here like a rat." She quipped. "It was fucking China, I know it. God I hate that bitch."

"Do you really though?" Clyro's serious tone was a surprise to Darquesse.

"Er… yes."

"I've witnessed you around the people you hate, they are never breathing for long."

"What's your point Clyro?"

"That China is still breathing."

"She won't be." Darquesse muttered. "When I get my hands on her, I am going to-" She paused. Clyro followed suit and stayed quiet.

The tunnel they were walking down opened up in front of them. A dull light filtered down through the gap even though they were still meters from it. Darquesse and Clyro waited in the darkness as the outline of something slowly moved into the light.

Darquesse unknowingly held her breath and more of the beast emerged. She had seen it before or at least a different one of the same family. It was the first thing she saw in the tunnels beneath Gordon's house. Who knew just how fucking far those caves and tunnels extended. The network was extensive.

Valkyrie and Skulduggery had gone down through Gordon's cellar and into the tunnels after Serpine, back when they all wanted the Sceptre of the Ancients.

That magnificent creature, impervious to magic, feeding off it, made it quite a threat. It's dog faced head turned their way.

Darquesse let out the breath she had been holding.

The beast roared and started to charge at them.

Darquesse started to beam.

"_That took more out of me than I thought." Mevolent said slumping back onto a hospital bed, one of the only two in the partially bare room._

"_It's been a long time since you killed someone that violently. I suggest you save your strength."_

"_I wouldn't have to save my strength if you hadn't of locked me up for all those years and practically diminished my power." Mevolent growled at the man stood before him. His golden eyes unfazed._

"_You were a threat still, when I came across you I needed to keep you secure. I'm sure you understand I couldn't have you walking about and Cuff was too incompetent to keep you hidden."_

"_Cuff would have woken me, not kept me sleeping for near two hundred years. That was a long day when you had to fill in all the history I had missed thanks to you."_

"_You have threatened me many times about this and I always respond the same way. You were woken when it was necessary and the fact is you still need me so you can't do anything but just get on with it. Your powers were great Mevolent, they are just taking a little longer to reactivate."_

"_It's been eight years Ravel and I don't even have half my strength back. My other abilities are more difficult and take more of my energy. If _your _plan is going to work, then you need me to be at my most powerful. If this was your plan all along, to keep me weak, then you are in for an eternity of suffering Ravel."_

"_I am aware Mevolent. Yet I stand before you not afraid because we both know you need me to get you to the Tomb of the Ancients."_

"_Don't think I won't kill you the second I don't need you anymore." Mevolent forced himself to sit up when he spat his words at Ravel. Ravel smiled slightly, Mevolent couldn't tell if he was nervous or amused._

"_Whatever power source is in that Tomb I need it. The procedures we put the Unnamed through won't work on me, not now we can't access anymore hotspots. You will not let me down, Ravel." Mevolent seared his gaze on Ravel's face._

"_I am certain I won't."_

"_Because we both know, don't we. If I don't get what I want, then your world ruled by sorcerers won't happen and after you have gone through all this much trouble, I doubt you are willing to risk it."_

"_I have a duty to change the world and nothing will stop me from doing that."_

"_No?" Mevolent said with an unconvinced smirk._

"_No."_

"_I want Cuff to come with me and the Unnamed."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because I might need him."_

"_What for?" Ravel pressed with confusion written all over his face at the sudden change in subject._

"_It's none of your concern, Ravel. Just make sure he is ready."_

"_I think you are forgetting my place Mevolent. I have achieved a number of your requirements, the latest bringing you the God-Killer sword. But you have yet failed to meet any of my conditions. I can put you back in that cell anytime if I thought you were not sticking to your side of the deal."_

"_Relax Ravel. You will get your changed utopia world, as you know, the things I want will in turn get you what you want."_

"_Why are you taking Cuff with you?" Ravel circled back to the only question he really wanted answering. Mevolent look at Ravel from beneath his short eyelashes, his grin was crooked and growing more sinister._

"_I am in the hopes that Darquesse might find him and some truths be revealed."_

The wall was flying towards her at a frightening speed. Feeling the air around, focusing on it and letting it become solid beneath her palm. Saskia's arms were out in front of her and she pushed on the air with her hands to slow her speed before she crumpled up against the concrete wall.

Her fingers and her toes in her boots curled as she pushed harder, hitting the wall took the wind out of her but at least she hadn't bruised herself this time.

Saskia left the training room for the morning once she had showered and changed her clothes. Navy jeans and her red, cosy jumper and her favourite sea green jacket. She didn't care if the colours clashed, it was warm and the lining on the inside was really soft.

She almost jumped coming out of the door when she noticed Skulduggery leaning against the wall opposite.

Saskia's hand slapped onto her chest, the other going to the doorframe to bear her weight as her breathing calmed.

"God, you scared me." She stuttered.

"Sorry." Skulduggery apologised cheerily. "My face does that sometimes."

Saskia laughed through her laboured breathing and the feelings of her extremities were coming back to her.

"You're not meant to laugh." Skulduggery dead panned.

"Oh, sorry." she choked unconvincingly. She tried holding back the laughs long enough to put a serious look on her face. But she failed miserably and didn't really care either.

"I'm going to visit Cassandra Pharaohs. Do you want to join me?" Skulduggery asked, his tone light again.

"The sensitive?"

"The very same."

"Oh hell yeah. We going now?"

They parked the Bentley outside a small cottage with a whole array of bright flowers in patches around the pebbled pathway. The grass was trimmed perfectly in neat edges. Saskia could appreciate the beauty of it as they walked up the middle of the front garden. Skulduggery knocked on the door pleasantly.

"Come in." An old but gentle voice called to them from inside.

Inside the house, Saskia felt a little creeped out by all the twig people hanging from the ceiling but Skulduggery seemed to not even notice them. She didn't say anything. She had never been to Cassandra's house before but Skulduggery had told her about her abilities as a sensitive in the past.

"Good day Cassandra." Greeted Skulduggery as she rose to her feet from the armchair. "It's good to see you." Cassandra smiled. She had a long, dark dress that had many layers over the skirt and a grey pashmina she wore around her shoulders.

Her eyes rested on Saskia, her face went warm with the attention but Cassandra had kind eyes that did make her feel slightly better.

"You must be Saskia, I've heard a lot of wonderful things about you." she said giving her a rather weak handshake.

"Thanks. You too." Saskia replied unsure of what she was meant to say.

"Charming. Aren't you adorable."

Cassandra led the way down to her basement. She sat in the chair at the centre of the room while Skulduggery and Saskia pressed themselves against the back wall. Lighting a fire ball in his hands, Skulduggery threw it onto the coal beneath the grills on the floor. He manipulated the flames with a flick of his wrist and the whole floor under the grills caught fire.

He went over to the wheel on the other wall and waited for Cassandra to pull her umbrella over her head before he turned it.

The room filled with water spraying from the pipes on the ceiling, then it quickly billowed into steam and Skulduggery went back to his original position next to Saskia.

The steam filled the room, then images were reflected onto the clouds. There was movement.

Darquesse appeared as if she was standing in the room with them. There were long, tall shadows around her, the trees sharply came into focus. Saskia looked to Skulduggery, he had his gaze locked onto Darquesse. Another figure came into view, another girl stood head to head with Darquesse. She looked startlingly similar to her, her hair was the same silky noir, her clothes were all black and she had that disturbing effect on people when she smiled.

She was smiling as she took the fight to Darquesse. Darquesse blocked and slammed the strange girl in the face and made her face bleed. The girl laughed at the sight of her own blood that she wiped off her mouth with her hand.

"That's a little harsh don't you think? I only came here to say hello."

Darquesse didn't reply, she went in for a kick and a hook then a head butt, she landed them all successfully until the girl's hand came out shooting yellow light from her fingertips.

The light caught Darquesse in the chest throwing her off her feet until a tree trunk stopped her flight, and her screaming.

"What's the matter?" The girl said as she approached Darquesse still on her back. "Not what you were expecting-"

The vision changed, the dark forest disappeared and was replaced by what Saskia thought looked like a dance floor. The wood was solid and shiny and in the centre was Ghastly, in a black tuxedo with a delicate red rose in his top pocket, leading Tanith in her gorgeous , satin wedding dress around the dance floor.

They looked in each other's eyes like it was the beginning of their life together. Their lips met and the muffled sound of an applause floated under the steam.

It suddenly went dark, panic could be heard as dark figures appeared and dispersed amongst the crowd. The lights were flashing, Saskia caught a glimpse of sandy blonde hair then all she could see were Cleavers.

The steam bubbled indicating a new turn for Cassandra's vision. Saskia didn't see it, rather she felt it.

Skulduggery stiffened at the new vision that was playing out in front of them.

Darquesse was in a struggle, a thick arm was coiled around her neck belonging to the figure behind her. Her hands were grasping at the heavy weight across her chest. The figure holding her came into view from the shadows.

He was so tall, his face matted with dried and fresh blood. His face was contorted into a mixture of expressions, all negative, nasty and ugly. Mevolent made Saskia's skin stand on end. Darquesse coughed begging for the breath that wasn't coming to her. Every time Darquesse pulled in his hands, he tightened his grip on her throat. Her face was turning red, she was just making choking noises now rather than gasping for air.

Mevolent started shouting to someone who apparently was facing him but couldn't be seen in the vision.

"How about this? The both of you here. I have to say I like the theatrics. Now, are you ready? Are you ready to watch her die?"

With that Mevolent forced Darquesse to the ground. She looked weak and wasn't strong enough to protest when she was pushed on her front onto the cold, damp stone.

Saskia didn't know what was happening, her eyes were already stuck wide open as she watched Mevolent place his boot on the side of Darquesse's head.

She didn't want to see this, she didn't want to see anyone get stomped to death in front of her. She tried to calm herself down by reminding her that it was only a vision, but that led to more questions and queries like it was a vision of the future so it could still happen, or they could change it but it ends up being her killed by Mevolent, not Darquesse. She decided she didn't like seeing visions after all.

Darquesse's glossy eyes were on whoever Mevolent was talking to, Saskia could see the tears pricking at Darquesse's eyes and leaving dark trails down her cheeks before crossing the bridge of her nose and dropping to the ground. She was starting to tremble violently and then her body went limp when Mevolent smashed his heavy boot down. The vision cut off and the steam dispersed.

"I'm afraid that's all I have to show you both." Cassandra said as she led them both back upstairs.

Saskia didn't know what to make of what she had just seen. She was silent in the Bentley for a while until she realised they weren't going back to the cave.

"Where are we going?" she asked Skulduggery.

"We are going to the hospital Darquesse was taken to."

"What? Just the two of us?" she felt nervous all of a sudden. What if Mevolent was there? Would he try and kill them? How could she possibly escape against someone like him? The simple answer was she wouldn't because she would be dead.

"No. Ghastly, Tanith and Anton should nearly be there, they are waiting for us before they move in."

"Why only those three?"

"I sent Dexter and Saracen off to see if they could track down Darquesse." Saskia looked at him confused.

"Why? Where is she?"

"I don't know. Darquesse and Clyro left last night."

Saskia knew there was more to it but she had a feeling that it probably wasn't the time to ask. She didn't want to lose her self-control and accidentally let something slip out about her pent up jealously towards Darquesse.

"But now that we have a little bit more information, we need her back. She's not working with Mevolent."

"Hence, he was trying to kill her in the vision?"

"Exactly."

"What do you think he will do to her if he finds her before we do?"

"Something horrible, no doubt." She felt the Bentley's speed increase. It seemed to her that Skulduggery was slightly anxious. She never got the impression that he worried about herself like that, and she was more likely to get killed.

They got to the hospital and indeed, Ghastly, Tanith and Anton were waiting for them. Saskia had no idea how the place could possibly have been a hospital. It was crumbling at every corner and the windows were all smashed or gone completely, some were boarded up with strips of bent metal. It wasn't big enough to be a modern hospital and Saskia bet there would be next to no facilities inside. It was a derelict heap of bricks and glass.

"What is this place?" Saskia asked as she followed the others through the prison like gate that stood over three times her height. The blackened spiked fencing went round the entirety of the building. Saskia didn't know why they had bothered with the fence if they were just going to leave the gate unlocked for anyone to get in.

The front doors looked centuries old, the edges of the wood were frayed and peeling back, but when Tanith tried pushing one open it moved silently with ease. The doors opened into a foyer that expanded like a spider web into many adjoining corridors that led deeper into the unknown.

"This place was used as a hospital during the war. Mevolent acquired it so his soldiers could get patched up on enemy soil." Skulduggery explained briefly. "You three," he looked to the adults. "Pick a corridor each. If my memory is correct most of them lead to the centre, so hopefully, we should all meet up in a few minutes there. If any of you don't show up I'll know you have run into trouble and I probably won't be seeing you again. So goodbye to all who get killed."

Anton smirked while Tanith laughed and they separated and disappeared down the corridors.

"So you have been here before then?" Saskia asked.

"Once." He replied.

"I'm guessing it wasn't pleasant."

"It was not." Skulduggery said.

"Until I got there." Ghastly said amused then disappeared too.

"Would you like to pick a corridor?" Skulduggery asked after he watched Ghastly zip round a corner, he waved his hand at the many corridors for Saskia to pick from. They all looked the same to her, dark, dirty and long. As long as she wasn't left alone in this place, she didn't care.

"Erm… this one." she said pointing to the closest one to her left.

"Good God no. Do you want to get us eaten?" Skulduggery jibbed.

"What-"

"Oh well. It's too late now. You've picked it and you won't change your mind." Skulduggery started walking forcing Saskia to jog until she caught up with him.

"What's going to eat us?" Saskia asked, the excitement unsettlingly apparent in her voice.

"Many things, most likely, although really I would be safe. I have no flesh so in reality it would just be you that got eaten."

"You could get eaten," she shot back. "You would be the toothpick or something. Nowhere near as tasty as I would be."

Saskia had no idea where they were heading, they took so many turns and all the rooms were abandoned patient rooms left with needles or mucky towels. She was happy to just let Skulduggery lead the way so she didn't have to look at her surroundings anymore.

"If this place belongs to Mevolent, why would he abandon it?" Saskia asked sceptically.

"Maybe because he needed this place for one purpose only and he succeed with that so he moved on."

"What do you think he was doing here?"

"I'm sure we will find some sort of clue that may tell us just that."

"How was he able to use this place without you or the Sanctuary finding out?" she asked pretty unsettled by how easily people managed to slip by the Irish Sanctuary unnoticed lately.

"It's been derelict since the war, I had completely forgotten about this place until Darquesse mentioned the crest she saw." Coincidently they had made it to what looked like the room that Mevolent was using for his schemes, they passed under an archway which bore the same crest.

The crest was of two black bears stood on their hind legs, paws outstretched as if they were both taking a swipe. She didn't like it, the whole image screamed raging crazy people with egos as big as their insanely ridiculous beliefs.

"Mevolent must have been in Ireland for a long time if he was using his old hiding spots. I'm surprised he managed to stay under the radar for so long."

"But why did no-one notice him now? If he's been here ages, why did no one spot him?"

"Someone must be helping him."

"Someone who knows how to keep him invisible?"

"Yes. One thing Mevolent does like is a show and he would put one on every day of his life if he was given the opportunity."

Skulduggery and Saskia finally entered the room significantly larger than any they had passed previously. Even Saskia could tell it had been used recently. Ghastly and Tanith entered through the same door a minute behind them, their corridors intersecting before they reached the only room that looked like it had been used in the past two hundred years.

Anton appeared from the adjacent door on the other side of the room looking bored.

"Anything?" Skulduggery spoke clearly.

"Nope, just empty rooms." Tanith stated.

"I have nothing to report." Answered Anton, he probably would have looked the same even if he did have something to report.

"I thought I found someone." Ghastly started peaking Skulduggery's interest. "But it turned out to be Tanith behind the door."

The first thing they had noticed entering the room was that the lights were surprisingly bright for a room that didn't have much modern technology. There were two beds in the room, one was in the centre with medial machinery attached to it, the other had been dumped against the wall, the sheets were pulled back messily and dried blood had soaked the crappy mattress underneath.

Skulduggery and the others started looking around the room for anything significant. Saskia didn't have a clue what she was looking for so she stayed near the bed at the core of the room. She had an irrational fear that something would jump out at her from the shadows in the corners.

A monitor was attached to a long metal machine on wheels next to the bed. The screen was black, she imagined the green lines running across it, showing the peak of the heartbeat. She reached out with her fingers curious as to who the machine had been hooked up to. Her fingers touched the cold glass and the screen fizzled to life giving her a static shock for her troubles.

She gasped pulling back her hand and jumped back, the monitor was buzzing like it was trying to work through the interference and light up behind the glass.

The rest hurried towards to her, Skulduggery quickly checking her over. The monitor brightened fading to grey. The words _'turn off the lights' _appeared before fading out again.

Saskia hadn't realised she had gulped until she saw Anton walking for the light switch. She immediately took a few steps to the right so she was at Skulduggery's side. Her pulse was beginning to race, the dark had never been one of her favourite places. She was grateful when Skulduggery made a slight movement so he was closer to her, he was clearly trying to comfort her.

"What are we meant to see in the dark-" Tanith got out in a confused tone before the room went pitch black. Slowly an ultraviolet light started to flicker, it was bright on the floor and on the walls, it was clearly a stain that had been smeared in all directions, it was splattered across the floor erratically. Even Saskia had watched enough crime shows to know it was blood. The pools of white were blood marks that had been cleaned off already but still showed under U.V light.

The trail led to a door in the corner of the room no-one had noticed before. No-one but Saskia hesitated before making their way to the door. The stains looked like someone, whoever had bled all over the walls and floor, had been dragged through the door.

Skulduggery was the only one waiting for Saskia as he became aware of her concern.

"Are we really going to go down there? With no idea what lies in wait? Mevolent could be down there." She didn't bother trying to hide that she was scared. Skulduggery knew her by now.

"Mevolent has moved on by now Saskia. He isn't down there, but he clearly wants to show us something." Skulduggery replied calmly.

"What if it's a trap? And we are just going to walk straight into it? He's already killed one person." She gestured to the blood splashes covering their surroundings. "Why would he hesitate to leave something down there for us?"

"Because he has a plan, and killing us is not his plan right now."

"How can you know that?"

"I fought against his tactics for centuries. I learnt his methods, I can predict his movements, and my guesses usually pay off."

She had a feeling he was trying to lighten the mood, or comfort her. Either way it was working… slightly. There was still one more thing that way nagging at her.

"But he didn't die in the war. It looks like he's had two hundred years of working in secret, changing his methods to his advantage. He's obviously aware of what's been happening in the world without him." She sagged letting it all out.

"You make many good points," Skulduggery chimed tapping his cheekbone like he was in thought. "But on the other hand it could be fun."

Skulduggery didn't wait for Saskia to follow him to the door after he said no more. Not wanting to be left alone in this place she hurried after him with a scowl.

"Fun my arse." she muttered.

Everyone gathered at the only door they found on the lower level. There were more connecting corridors they had passed on the way but they all led to the stairs back up to the ground floor.

Big steel doors opened with a shiver inducing shriek.

It was easy to see the dominant feature of the room. The throne was big and as it sat centre stage, it was clear that it wasn't empty. Mevolent had left his present on display on the throne so it could be witnessed by all. The gift was for Skulduggery, as indicated by the sign around the neck of the body that showed the words '_You're welcome Skulduggery.' _

The body belonged to the man that went by the taken name of Fraa Shackleton. His body however, no longer resembled his former self as his whole form had been split in two.

From the mess and the torn edges of his messed up skin and shredded limbs, Saskia thought only something like a buzz saw could have done it to the man. The smell hit her like a slam to the nose. There was so much blood, she hunched over trying hard not to puke in front of everyone. She was annoyed that it hardly seemed to affect anyone else.

"Who is he?" Tanith asked over Saskia's retching from the corner.

"He was an acquaintance from Darquesse's past, I believe." Skulduggery offered though his voice was low. "He was at the beach, he was looking for Darquesse. When he found her, he was able to control her."

"Control her how?" Ghastly asked in disbelief. "That hardly seems possible."

"Yet I saw it with my own eyes...if I had eyes."

Skulduggery quickly explained what he had overheard when Fraa nearly assaulted Darquesse, though he left out the part where he got on top of her and tried to molest her. He missed out that part and skipped straight to him intervening.

"Why would he kill one of his own men?" Ghastly questioned. Every time something started to make sense another thing happened and it all unravelled again.

"He did something he wasn't supposed to." Skulduggery answered. "He is showing us that one man won't deter his plan. They are all expendable. Just like the Acid Battery and all those vampires."

"Is he trying to say he has a big dick?" Tanith muttered. She got a scowl from her future husband and Skulduggery tilted his head to the side when she finished.

"What?"

She shrugged uncaring of her blunt manner. "Can we get out of here? That smell is gross and it's starting to turn Saskia green."

To Saskia's relief, they left.

The cavern was bloody massive in Darquesse's opinion. Clyro was sprinting right beside her across the very narrow ledge that led to the opposite side of the wide expanse and to the tunnel too small for the monster to follow. Darquesse was swinging her arms rapidly propelling her forward. She felt the unstable ledge tremor indicating the monster had made it to the start of the ledge. She hoped the stone wouldn't crumble beneath her feet, flying out would probably weaken her and for once she was enjoying the thrill of the chase.

The adrenalin and the magic didn't pump through her as hard while she was flying. She had to work to move her body before she got eaten.

"I would have to confess," Clyro's voice came to her ears loudly over the monster's screeches echoing around them. "I will be content when we have rid ourselves of this idiotic creature." He sounded irritated, it amused the fuck out of Darquesse.

"You should have known there were magically resistant things living down here."

"I was aware of that fact, yet I naively thought a physical attack would still harm them." He admitted glumly.

"I'm afraid not." Darquesse replied with a smirk.

They powered across the ledge and burst into the tunnel. It was dark so Darquesse slowed her speed in case she ran face first into the arse of another creature, or a wall.

The monster reached the entrance to the tunnel, it's dog like head snapped it's menacing teeth as it squeezed into the gap. An arm reached in, clawing at the dirt. Darquesse and Clyro were catching their breath some distance away watching the monster failing in its attempt to chase them further.

She didn't feel satisfied. Darquesse hated herself for letting China Sorrows trick her. Her anger made her skin crawl and right now she was itching for a fight.

She shot off without a word towards the monster that was now backing out of the tunnel anticipating their meeting. Physically attacking it wouldn't work so she wouldn't be able to let out all her frustrations on the monster, but she could kill it. She could still do that. Sliding under its flailing arms and its dipped jaw, she passed between its legs and had plenty of space to come up behind it and turn in time.

She fell to her knees and with her fists positioned knuckles down, she cracked the ledge with such force that it immediately started to crumble. The monster scrambled as the support under it disappeared and it slid down the rock as it fell into nothingness.

Darquesse leaped at her side of the ledge as it fell too. Soaring through the air, the gap was much bigger than she hoped. She would catch the ledge most definitely but her face wasn't going to look good afterwards. Her face was going to smack straight into the stone cliff and she couldn't even be bothered to stop it.

Surprise caught her when Clyro appeared out of the dark and snatched her out of the air, just in time before she passed too low for him to save her from a face full of rocks.

Clyro's arms were wrapped tightly around her waist bringing her face close to his. She looked into his eyes and touched his cheek with her fingertips. Pink and blue strips of beautifully glowing light pulsed through his veins. He could control it more now and was able to keep it dim in order to avoid being detected in covert situations.

Clyro held Darquesse's gaze and wasn't at all taken aback when her lips came crashing down on his. This had happened before, she got impulsive after an adrenaline rush and once or twice after really dicey days she had kissed him. He didn't bother stopping her, he didn't mind anyway. He even reciprocated the second time.

This time he took her neck in his grasp and slammed her against the tunnel wall. Their heated lip contact was increasing, the sounds of their lips rolling over the others, their tongues meeting as Clyro pushed his body forward trapping Darquesse between him and stone. His hand ran gently up her thigh before it came to the tip of her leather black trousers.

Clyro's lips met hers more forcefully, taking over completely. He had a feeling he knew why she was complying. He didn't want to think about it.

Darquesse wondered if Clyro was kissing her with passion as a way of distracting her from his hand slipping into her trousers and only stopping when his hand was resting between her legs.

Darquesse moved her head to the side and closed her eyes at the sensation of the kisses being slowly unloaded onto her neck.

Clyro slipped his middle finger between her lips glazing over her clit as he reached her centre. She was seriously wet and he massaged his fingertip achingly slow into her juices, spreading her slickness over her centre.

Breathing heavily, Darquesse let out a sharp intake of breath when Clyro pulled one of her legs up and over his hip so he could gain better access between her legs. The restriction from her tight pants was a nuisance but it would be a long time before his next actions would tire him out. He knew Darquesse would be grateful. He didn't even realise his top hat had been knocked off due to Darquesse's frustrations.

He stroked her clit, lazily at first, enjoying the sound of her almost silent whimpers. He soon added his index finger and started rubbing circles over her clit. Her hips arched into his hand in sync with his motions. Her whimpers turned into moans, her eyes still shut tightly. Clyro increased his speed and hearing her let out sexy gasps was doing something to his lower region.

Clyro was an experiment, not just in necromancy but in regeneration as well. He wasn't like the white cleaver who Darquesse had told him about. He was mixed with living tissue which was jump started back to life with magic. So he still got the urges and feelings with Darquesse wet in his hand, her hips bucking into him was causing his dick to grow painfully hard. He dipped his fingers into her pussy feeling her walls inside her and recoating his fingers with her lube, he pulled out and thrust back in quickly earning a choked gasp from the woman he was, at the moment fingering. He thrust in again harder but sighed in frustration at his awkward movements.

Pulling out of her, he ripped down her pants stripping her of them, her underwear and boots and quickly resumed his position. He was met with no resistance. Darquesse waited for him to partially unclothe her in a hurry, then she wrapped both legs around his hips, her arms encircling his neck with her arms.

Clyro quickly laid her on the floor before kneeling between her legs. He bent down to frantically kiss her supporting himself with one hand on the floor beside her head, the other was quickly thrusting in and out of her. His fingers were entering her so quickly it all soon felt like one movement. Moaning shamelessly, Darquesse tightened her grip on Clyro and turned her face away from him again. She tried to meet his hand with her hips, cool air quickly brushed her lower back every time she bucked up into him.

He evened his speed returning his thumb to her clit, thickly coated once again, he stroked her, rubbing around unhurried in case he caught her sensitive spot.

He felt her bucks get shallower and more erratic. He pumped her leaving wet marks from his kisses over her collarbone. He thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of her wrapped around him. She went silent and her bucks stopped as she came underneath him. Clyro continued stroking gently until she had rode out the pleasure that was washing over her. Once he felt her body go limp he slipped two fingers back into her pussy and started hammering her hard. Her pussy was so much tighter, and a lot wetter. He could feel her pulse vibrating through her every time her heart beat.

The moment Clyro felt Darquesse's thighs lock him in a vice he stopped pumping into her. Pulling his hand out, Clyro felt her loosen her legs and dropped backwards onto the ground. Clyro went to move off her but was stopped when he felt her hand on his cheek. He met her eyes, they were half-lidded but the lust that had filled her face only minutes ago was now gone.

Her fingers slid up to his scalp and she gently pushed his head down. "Clean me." She commanded more than asked, even though her voice was gentle. Clyro settled between her legs and got to work.

She didn't really find walking around with her own cum leaking out of her very appealing or comfortable, and she knew Clyro wouldn't say no. She had to admit she never expected to jump him the first time, never mind the second or third. Clyro had said nothing on the subject in the past so Darquesse neglected to mention it either.

Darquesse and Clyro continued strolling through the caves once Clyro had fully cleaned her up and she had pulled her clothes back on.

"Thanks for that." Darquesse offered after a long period of silence, because she couldn't think of anything appropriate to say.

"You're welcome." Clyro replied in his usual manner.

"Just so you know, I was thinking of someone else."

"I am aware." Clyro said unfazed. "I only catered to your needs. I know you have been feeling frustrated and now that feeling isn't as dominant." He finished.

"So we're clear then." Darquesse smirked, amused at Clyro's reaction. She didn't know if she should feel touched or used, by the time she had got to the end of the thought she didn't care one way or the other.

Being an experiment with specific programming to try and kill Darquesse the moment she decided to destroy the world, Clyro should have been her enemy from the start, she tried many times to escape him when she emerged permanently, obviously hating Valkyrie's stupid way of preventing her from doing what she wanted.

After a while she just got sick of running, she finally accepted that he would always find her. Which he did, every time, so from then on he just tagged along and they became a team instead. It wasn't like he _wanted _to kill her and used his closeness as a way to do that. Clyro couldn't even try an attempt on her life until his final protocol was activated, and that only happened when Darquesse decided it did.

Darquesse could feel anger towards him, she was after all using him too, in more ways than one so she couldn't force herself to feel upset.

"We are clear." Clyro replied twisting his head to give her a slight smile which she reciprocated.

"What are you going to do about China?" Clyro asked.

"What do you think I am going to do?"

"I think the next opportunity you get to kill her, you will seize it. But have you thought about how Skulduggery will react?"

"No. He will secretly be thanking me I expect."

"What if China's death causes Skulduggery to come after us?"

"Let him. They all think they have me sussed. That my ultimate goal is to destroy the world, like in those stupid visions."

"Aren't the visions inevitable?"

"Some parts maybe. But I am not living my life to their expectations anymore." Darquesse ranted as they made their way through a series of short and narrow caverns.

"Why were you doing it in the first place then?"

"I thought it rather poetic to use my old friends for my mission. I thought it would be entertaining, but the most fun I've had was when I got to tackle all those vampires on the beach.

"You have to be more careful, Darquesse. Your abilities are compromised."

"So what? I can fuck up anything I like, my powers may be fluctuating but it isn't enough to make me vulnerable."

"Maybe you should take some precautions." Clyro cautioned.

"Like what? And how the hell am I meant to do that down here?" Darquesse complained gesturing with her arms.

"These tunnels go on for miles in every direction and with your good sense of orientation, I'm sure you can find your way to another place that the tunnels lead to. To a certain dead uncle's mansion that you just so happen to be the owner of."

"Clyro, you're a genius. Why didn't I think of that?"

"You've had a lot on your mind."

"There is bound to be something there, maybe even Gordon himself." Darquesse grinned at the thought of Gordon's face if she just turned up out of the blue.

"What makes you think he will help you. You are Darquesse after all, not his favourite niece.

"I can always threaten to wipe him, or threaten to kill Des and Melissa."

"What about pretending to be Valkyrie?"

"Too risky. We don't know how much contact Skulduggery has kept with him. It's most likely that he has kept Gordon informed. But my plan to threaten him is still up there."

The lounge of the Midnight Hotel was lit by one wall lamp that dimly glowed from the corner of the room. There was no real point in staying in the caves since most of the rooms had been trashed. They elicited to stay in the Hotel for the night, it would at least be more comfortable.

China was still fuming about it, she silently sulked from the beige armchair furthest away from the sofas positioned in the middle of the room. She scowled as her eyes flicked over the others. The four teenagers were all sat on one sofa together looking pretty shaken up, Saskia looked paler, probably due to her seeing two dead bodies in a matter of days.

China couldn't really force herself to be mad at them, they were only children after all.

Her blue eyes glanced to the two best friends sat under the front window pretending like they weren't secretly having sex with each other. Dexter and Saracen were talking quietly to each other, they were mostly smiles and short laughs. Clearly they were having a positive effect on the other.

The mention of Fletcher drew her eyes to Ghastly and Tanith who were sat on the adjacent sofa. No-one had the chance to ask about his death properly. Darquesse had gone before they could get anything else out of her that night she teleported to the Hotel. Although China internally smiled as the fleeting thought of Darquesse and Clyro below her having a hellish time drifted to her. On the other hand she felt slight affection towards Fletcher but now that he was gone, she doubted it would affect her life too much.

Her gaze drifted to someone she was actually interested in.

Skulduggery was leant against the far wall, his head down hat covering half of his skull. His gloved hands were fully in his pockets. She knew he was thinking, wondering about Darquesse, about where she was or what she was doing. Fighting for her life, China hoped.

Her eyes finally rested on the bag on the table that they were all sat around. Inside were the three God-Killer weapons they had managed to acquire. Having them in her presence comforted her greatly. They made her feel safe.

In a flash all that comfort was gone and her blood ran cold.

The others noticed her change in posture. She looked positively terrified. Skulduggery's head snapped up and all eyes were on China.

"China, what's wrong?" Skulduggery asked urgently.

She could barely get the words to form in her mouth, her eyes were glazed over as she stared into space.

"My defences are being dismantled."

Everyone in the room straightened. The silence was piercing making China's next words that much more alarming.

"My sigils in the forest are being deactivated, like lights going off one by one. There is only one person who could do that. And he's heading straight for us."

China shivered as her whole body went numb, she fixed her eyes on Skulduggery.

"He's coming."

_Soft, damp mud gave way easily under the weight of the eight foot sorcerer. He donned his silver plated armour that no longer seemed to shine. Blood red cloth could be seen in the gaps between the armour plates over his chest. His expression was impassive as he navigated his way through the slim trees and letting the long leaf branches part before him._

_He strolled his way expertly towards his target._

_Mevolent didn't react when the girl walking beside him spoke._

"_Will they know?" she said. "Will they know who I am?" Her voice was devoid of emotion, she was merely asking out of curiosity._

"_Possibly… but don't let that affect your mission." Mevolent replied distracted._

"_I won't."_

_Mevolent walked and broke the sigils China's had drawn without breaking his stride. He could recognize China's craftsmanship from a mile off, he practically taught her everything she knows. Not everything _he_ knows, fortunately._

_The girl spoke again. "I am confident my mission will go unobstructed. It's easy to beat someone to death."_

"_Not all of them." Mevolent interjected. "The insignificant ones you can kill, the rest stay alive. Not unharmed, just alive."_

"_As you wish."_

_He looked over her form, she was quite pretty as they would say nowadays. Her dark hair was slightly wavy and flayed out as it tipped over the edge of her shoulders. Her eyes were dark, like black holes contrasting with her ashen skin._

_Mevolent pumped her to the brim with magic and had the honour of knowing what she could do to others. It was a shame he wouldn't be there to see it this time._

_Seeing the break in the forest where the haze lingered over a pool of still water underneath a huge waterfall. They reached the top of the banking. Only Mevolent made his way down. The girl shrunk back into the darkness. The cascading waterfall poured before him. As he met the edge of the pool the waterfall stopped churning water and the deafening sound cut off._

_Mevolent raked his eyes over the wide opening in the rock, meters above him. He could easily jump up there but he didn't want to do that. He wanted to create hysteria and fear._

Mevolent brought his arms out beside him and gestured towards the cave entrance. When he spoke his voice was booming and intensified by the multiple echoes.

"Come out, come out wherever you are." He sung whimsically pacing the edge of the water, patiently waiting for a reply.

He didn't attempt to hide the smirk that graced his face when he saw, his old time enemy: Skulduggery Pleasant gradually emerge from the opening, he stopped when he reached the ledge.

"Ah, Skulduggery Pleasant, it looks like time has not been kind to you. Or is that the rage now? Living skeletons?" Mevolent chuckled at his own joke, it had been a long time since he had the chance to taunt someone he hated. "No seriously, as a Halloween costume, you are on the money. What did you go as last year? The Grim Reaper?"

Skulduggery said nothing.

"I know this is a shock for all of you." Mevolent continued, not just calling to Skulduggery but the others he had no doubt were behind him, just out of sight. "Living for the past _two hundred years_ believing I was dead. And I thought you were meant to be a detective, Pleasant. It appears the Sanctuary are paying you too much.. Or _were _rather." Skulduggery continued to stand silently much to Mevolent's irritation, but it didn't matter too much, he was just getting started.

"Do you want to know how I did it?" Eagerly waiting for a response, Mevolent was visibly disappointed when no-one jumped up to guess the answer. He pouted.

"Oh come on!" He yelled. "After all this time, I hoped at least one of you wouldn't be so… boring. Aren't you the least bit interested?" Mevolent huffed, there were no biters to bait.

"Fine, enough! Bring out your friends, I want to see the faces I was cheated out of killing centuries ago, or I will tear apart this entire cliff and drop it on you before you can attempt to escape. Show yourselves Dead Men, or what's left of you."

Seconds passed and then Ghastly was stood by his friend's side.

"Ghastly Bespoke. Still not found a cure for your ugly face?" Mevolent insulted with a twinkle in his eye.

"Not exactly an oil painting yourself." A female voice rebuked gaudily. Tanith stepped to Ghastly's side and took his hand. It caused Mevolent to chuckle, especially at Tanith's feistiness.

"I can only assume you are a harlot of some sort. Did Bespoke pay you to sleep with him or are you just sick that way? The money must be good if you can resist vomiting in his face."

Ghastly could feel Tanith was about to retort but he squeezed her hand tighter drawing her attention to him. He shook his head slightly, telling her not to retaliate.

Not too pleased with the insults flying at their friends, Dexter and Saracen came out from cover and made the count of people standing on the ledge go up to four.

Mevolent saw the two newcomers but didn't rate them enough to pay them too much attention.

"It's the two I can never remember the names of… and Shudder, where is he? I doubt your little Dead Men band would travel without the uncontrollable pet." There was no point in hiding, Anton kept his face as impassive as possible as he joined his fellow Dead Men. "Don't think you will get chance to use your gist, Shudder. I will decapitate you before it reaches me."

Mevolent trailed his eyes from one end of the line to the other before rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "It seems that you are missing someone. A teleporter perhaps. Your precious teleporter, the only teleporter left and you let him get killed. He was ripped apart by vampires I have been reliably informed. That's not like you lot, to let your friends get killed… oh wait, that's exactly what you lot do."

He opened his mouth but his words were lost once China finally appeared. Their eyes locked. Mevolent actually looked pleased to see her.

"China."

"Mevolent."

"I think I should feel honoured to be in your presence once again." He said basking in the sight of his former exceptional student.

"Funny, I feel the complete opposite." China's voice rained down no venom on him, she sounded indifferent.

"Aww, you not playing nice? Is that because you have a new gang to play with?" Mevolent made an effort to look hurt, but his pained expression came out more as a cruel smile. Before China could answer his question he continued.

"That's ok. It's not like you have anything else to offer me anyway. You gave all that up to me a long time ago." He winked at her whilst simultaneously clicking his teeth. She inwardly winced at the mere mention of their past relationship. "No, China, I am not here for you. If anything I pity you."

"You pity me? Haven't you been living in a hole for the past two centuries. It's the only way you could go undetected for so long." She gritted her teeth at his smirk but was sure to not let the tension in her jaw become visible.

"Not quite. But it was better than a cave. And China, what _were _those defences? I thought I had taught you better than that."

His tone was patronising and condescending and China didn't care for it. She smiled anyway unwilling to give him the satisfaction.

"I'll work on it for next time."

"Oh, there won't be a next time."

A shadow rolled down the banking and the girl had seeped through the mist and was standing next to Mevolent before she was even noticed. Mevolent called upon his favourite smug look when the others realised she had appeared.

"I brought along a friend. I was going to bring another but… I left him as a gift for you. Did you like it Skulduggery?"

"Not particularly. I found it unoriginal and distasteful."

Mevolent laughed heartily. "Yes, well, he didn't do what he was told."

"I assume you mean confronting Darquesse."  
>Mevolent smirked again.<p>

"Speaking of my shadowy beauty, where is she? I thought she was dead keen on seeing me again, you know after our last encounter. I don't want to brag, but I rocked her world the last time."

"I doubt it." Skulduggery said glumly.

"Oh Skulduggery, you sound jealous."

"And you sound mentally ill."

"More insults? I thought you had outgrown that Skulduggery. I think this is just your way of reinforcing your denial about your abilities to defeat me. I can tell you now, none of you have said abilities. You will not defeat me."

"We will find a way, Mevolent."

"Not even Darquesse could do that and she's more of a sorcerer than all of you combined."

"You did something to warp her mind, make her your puppet."

"Oh I did much more than that Skulduggery, but that's for me to know and for you to die trying to find out."

"It's not hard to figure out that this Fraa fellow-"

"Fraa Shackleton."

"-Was a sensitive, focusing on memory building and blocking."

Mevolent clapped.

"Ok, detective. Answer me this. Who is my lovely companion?"

"No idea."

"Really?"

"Never seen her before."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes."

"She doesn't look at all familiar?" Skulduggery didn't answer, he thought he had made it quite clear that he didn't know Mevolent's friend. Mevolent looked practically devilish as he bounced on the spot. "God, I can't wait till you find out. The look on your face.. well whatever. But once she is finished with you, you won't even be able to think straight."

"If she is going to kill us then why not tell us who she is?"

"She's not going to kill you, not yet anyway. I just want you all incapable of moving for when I find Darquesse."

"You really think she is just going to do whatever you tell her to?"

"I don't think… I know. But enough chatter, I want to see some action." Mevolent announced dramatically.

"This isn't a game Mevolent. You have killed many people and we are going to do everything in our power to prevent you from achieving your goal."

"You're too quick to judge, aren't you Skulduggery. I dare say you couldn't count the number of people you have killed on one hand."

"I have killed people, that was never the question-"

"But because you are what they call the _'good guy'_ people turn a blind eye to your murders, to the countless innocent lives that were lost because of you. So you become a detective and they label it as redemption? I thought I was twisted."

"I will never be redeemed, but I will never be as bad as you or as weak minded as you."

Mevolent's chest bulged, he was hoping Skulduggery would say something like that.

"Never be as bad as me. I find that hard to believe, I really do. If there wasn't a sociopathic mind in there, it would be more convincing. I am mentally disturbed, I am not afraid or ashamed to admit it, I have done awful things, things so cruel it would make your stomach churn, but there is one thing I have never done that you have, Skulduggery. Can you figure out what it is, or will I have to tell you?"

He waited in silence. They waited in silence. He saw the way Skulduggery's friends were risking sideway glances at him. They were itching to know and he could feel it.

"No? Your friends seem confused. Maybe I should help them understand."

Mevolent wanted to savour the moment, he had the attention of all of them. The feels he got from Skulduggery were priceless. He was practically bursting with punishing excitement.

"I never murdered the mother of my best friend, now did I… Lord Vile."

Mevolent got the reaction he was hoping for. Heads turned to Skulduggery. Everyone was too stunned to speak. Ghastly was staring wide-eyed at his friend. The hurt was plastered all over his face as his brain tried to make sense of Mevolent's accusation. Tanith was staring over his shoulder, she had never looked at Skulduggery the way she was looking at him now.

Skulduggery stood silently, he didn't move.

China moved closer to Skulduggery so he would be the only one to hear her. "Less than five minutes to go." She whispered. China felt the awkwardness of being up on that ledge. Ghastly had walked off back into the cave, she had never seen him so emotional, it was unprofessional she thought. Tanith had wanted to go after him but Dexter had prevented her. He and Saracen both agreed it was best to leave him alone.

China wondered if Skulduggery could see the way his friends were looking at him. Like they had no idea who he was. It was probably a good thing his gaze was still on Mevolent and his companion. China couldn't deny she was surprised at Mevolent's little revelation, or _big_ rather. She didn't even believe it at first but Skulduggery stood there and let Mevolent's truthful words reach the ears of his friends.

He couldn't deny or pretend, he had no way of containing that secret anymore. China didn't even care. But she did have a thousand more questions about him.

So Skulduggery used to be the most powerful necromancer in the world. He slaughtered thousands for sport working for the side that murdered his wife and child.

No wonder Skulduggery didn't want Valkyrie learning the discipline. Now it was obvious that he had intimate knowledge of using death magic and he didn't want Valkyrie taking the easy way in life.

"Unnamed." Mevolent spoke quietly to his companion. "Why don't you give them a demonstration."

The air around them dropped in temperature so when Anton spoke his breath came out in a mist.

"I believe this is where I come in." He stated while his eyes followed the dark haired girl that was now approaching them.

Anton's gist erupted from his chest, it's hands clawed their way out. The gist screamed as it's silvery tether expanded and allowed it to fly straight for the girl.

With its spiked teeth and claws that would slash flesh like it was butter, the gist closed in on the girl, it's arms going at her like a windmill.

The girl portrayed no emotion and out of nowhere she threw out her arms, took hold of the gist's head and started twisting. The gist screeched in pain, it slashed frantically at the arms holding it, slowly tearing in two.

Finally, Anton's gist had met it's match. It discovered very quickly that it wasn't affecting its target, but now she had a good grip on it.

The gist tried to shorten the tether so it was pulled back inside Anton, but the Unnamed girl was having none of that.

Gritting her teeth into a smile she yanked hard on the gist and Anton was vaulted off the ledge and onto the ground before being dragged along it.

The girl twisted his gist's head with a final forceful yank and it separated from its body. Suddenly the girl pulled out the God-Killer sword and before anyone could move or shout to stop her, she decapitated Anton with one easy sweep and his head rolled away down into the pool, slowly turning the water into a cloudy red.

The girl held a special smile for the friends of the man she had just killed. She handed the sword back to Mevolent, he received it without sparing her a glance. His eyes were fixed on the opposition. He wanted to taste their desperation and panic as they went one man down.

"Look at that Skulduggery. Another person you failed to save. I'm astonished people continue to go to you for help." Mevolent boomed across the eerie distance. "Any second now I will unleash my companion's full potential on you." He pointed to the girl stalking towards the cliff side.

"The only way you can even-"

Mevolent was cut off as suddenly as the ground started to quake. The earth crumbled and a small sinkhole was forcibly created, draining the water from the pool. The sinkhole widened taking the pool itself, it expanded towards the banking claiming the damp grass as it's prize.

Mevolent literally beamed when Darquesse bounded out of the hole on the back of what only could be described as a huge hell dog. It's four legs were thick, spikes grew from the joints. It's fur was more like greying needles over black, pebbled skin.

Darquesse was perched on its back, her heels tight against its side, her hands were clutching the fur around its neck. Fresh cuts could be seen on her hands from the needles where she had tried to grab the creature, she held it as if she didn't even notice her wounds.

The hell dog clawed its way from the ground, it's jaw was larger than Darquesse's head. It's face was long and thin like a German Shepard, it's teeth belonged to something more like a shark than a dog. The teeth were stained red where they met the gums, they snapped as the hell dog moved fluently when instructed by Darquesse, from the sinkhole and stalked about ten metres towards Mevolent and his companion, who had scurried back to his side the moment Darquesse appeared.

There had never been any record of a sorcerer being able to control any creature from the Void Caves but somehow Darquesse was managing to do it.

Darquesse extended her hand and pointed her fingers and a black stream of shadows spiralled out. She wanted to see the pain in Mevolent's eyes, she wanted to feel gratified. The feeling was stolen from her when the creepy looking girl beside him stepped up and deflected her shot. It didn't matter, she knew it wouldn't be that easy.

Darquesse dismounted from the beast, it growled and snarled at Mevolent so loudly it pierced through the air making her ears tingle.

"Ssh baby." She cooed and the hell dog quieted to a low rumble.

"Amazing." Mevolent praised clapping his hands once. "Absolutely fascinating. I would love to know how you did that."

Striding forward, Darquesse was nearly upon him. The girl rushed to stand in from of Mevolent again, her expression impassive. Darquesse knocked her away as if she was a fly buzzing around her becoming a nuisance.

She could tell by the look in Mevolent's beady eyes that he wasn't too happy about it.

"Sorry, did I hurt your pet? I'm sure you can make another."

"Not like her," Mevolent replied, he looked at Darquesse like he was ready to devour her. "She is unique."

"Wow… I'm failing to care already."

"You will learn to."

"I've done a lot of learning recently."

"I have also." Mevolent reached out and caressed her smooth cheek gently. It was gut wrenching to see a man so vicious as Mevolent perform an act that could be mistaken for caring.

Darquesse didn't attempt to stop him but she wasn't sure if she liked it or not. He was the enemy after all and deep down she knew they would fight. It could be tonight or in a week, but they would fight. And Darquesse would have to win.

"You were just the most perfect specimen to work on. I've never seen someone as unpredictable as you."

"You never will." Darquesse sparked, Mevolent's fingers had moved and were now running through her hair.

"You are astonishing, but like everyone else when you are no longer useful to me, you will be discarded."

"And how do you plan on doing that? I've got rid of your army and your vampires. What's left, your pet?"

Darquesse gestured to the dark haired girl who had simply stood after being brushed aside and waited. Darquesse gave the girl a proper look. She was vaguely familiar but she had no idea why. She looked about eighteen, her hair was as dark as her own and it flowed down her shoulders in slight swirls. Her eyes were piercing and they had that same curved shape round the corners similar to hers. She was a distraction, a frustration Darquesse was afraid to dwell on.

Turning back to Mevolent he had finally taken his filthy hand off her.

"For someone who is meant to be the _Voldemort _of this world, you sure do talk a lot."

"I do I do. But I love hearing the reactions. They create this warm fuzzy feeling inside me." Mevolent stroked his stomach to emphasise his words.

"I'll give you a fuzzy feeling if you want."

"Is that an innuendo?"

"Certainly not."

"You know, I was planning to leave you with no hints about what you went through. All I will tell you is that it's much bigger than you Darquesse, and I need you all nice and tender…"

"Ten seconds to go, Skulduggery."

"... Then you will be perfectly ripe for my taking."

"Three… two… one."

All the energy that Mevolent had collected whilst dismantling China's defences had been brewing under his skin to inevitably implode. China's main defence always laid in the other absorbing the energy but being misled into believing they were deactivating the death traps.

Mevolent's body started to heat up so quickly Darquesse could feel the warmth on her forehead. She went to lunge for him but his skin scolded her hand.

He stumbled back with his companion trying to distract Darquesse as he got away. The heat was painful and it forced him to bend as he fell back into the forest.

Darquesse traded rapid punches and blocks with the girl. She was wasting her time. The girl wasn't important, but going after Mevolent was. He had been weakened explicitly to everyone watching, it would be illogical for him to stay. She didn't have a clue as to what was happening to him, but she needed to use it to her advantage.

She blocked two more of the girl's shots then aimed a fist to the nose setting her nerve endings on fire, then she nearly took the girl's head off with a spinning kick.

The girl smacked into the ground and rolled before coming up in a battle stance. Darquesse looked over her shoulder, she locked eyes with Skulduggery for a second, he tilted his head at her.

Darquesse turned back and charged at the girl who waited motionless and unafraid of the shadowy bulldozer hurtling towards her. The girl dodged to the side but Darquesse caught an arm around her waist and used the momentum to come up behind her, sinking her knuckles between her shoulder blades. The girl went down to her knees, Darquesse looked at the others on the ledge.

Skulduggery jumped from the ledge and plummeted to the ground. He spread his fingers and instead of slowing to touch down he tilted his body forward and shot off like a bullet into the night.

Darquesse smirked at Skulduggery's show, her head moving from side to side as he shot past her vision. She looked up to the ledge again, she saw Ghastly had come back and was standing on the edge with Tanith. Dexter had his hand on Saracen's shoulder, she followed Saracen's gaze and it landed on Anton's severed head. China was stood to the other side watching her intently. Darquesse gave them a smile which she tried to convey as _'good luck'_ then she sprinted off after Mevolent and Skulduggery.

"Well this should be easy." Tanith said unconvinced as the girl studied each of them.

"I wish it was." said Ghastly. "Who wants to take a shot first?" His tone was cheery, just like old times.

"Since you suggested it, why don't you go first?" Dexter asked.

"Oh no. I wouldn't want to deprive you of an opportunity of showing us your skills." Ghastly insisted.

"You have seen plenty of my skills. On the other hand, we don't even know what Saracen's is. We should make him go."

"Woah woah woah. Stop volunteering me for things Dexter! You only ever do that when you are too afraid to do it yourself." Saracen exclaimed waving his hands about.

"Hey I might be a strapping warrior with strong muscles and a mind as sharp as a whip and-"

"Pretty purple lights that come out of your fingers." Saracen interjected with a raised eyebrow.

"But I'm not stupid." Dexter finished.

"Well neither am I." They entered into a face off of scowls for a few seconds before Dexter started to grin. Saracen mirrored his smile until they realised the girl had made it to the edge of the pool.

"Stop being girls." Tanith complained pulling her sword from its home on her hip. "Get the God-Killers. We can take them for a test run."

Dexter opened the bag after he retrieved it from his back. Saracen took the bow, Ghastly took the dagger and then Dexter picked out the spear, thanks to a _Mary Poppins_ type sigil China drew so the bag was bigger on the inside, and handed it to China. He swore he saw a slight hint of a grateful smile, but it was gone before his mind could focus on it.

"Let's crucify the bitch." Tanith yelled and the girl jumped high in the air and landed on the ledge.

Darquesse changed course sharply. She was being drawn in the opposite direction. She could feel her insides buzzing with anticipation. She slowed down to a walk and took a deep breath taking in all the necromancy magic she could feel in the air. She was drawn to it like a moth to a flame, like she was being lured in. What sort of sport would she be if she didn't at least humour the people who set out traps for her. Easing her way through the trees, she came to a small opening.

Stood surrounded by a inky black haze with his back to her was Cuff Yellcode.

"You're looking pretty good for a dead man." she came into view as she spoke, meeting Cuff's cold eyes as he turned.

His item of choice to house his necromancy power was a weird silver medal he always wore abreast his grey military coat. His hair was being wafted lightly by the black haze.

"Well… you look _alive _anyway." she laughed to herself. "I know skeletons better looking than you."

Cuff narrowed his precarious eyes at her as if she was spouting a load of tosh.

"What are you talking about?" His voice was deeper and harsher than she remembered. His face was covered in gruff apart from a pale sleek scar crossing his lips, his hair was longer, the same dirty blonde.

"You died at that place in Russia, the whole building exploded. But obviously that was just a huge pile of bullshit."

Cuff started to chuckle. It made Darquesse angry, this fucker who had manipulated her for years, found it funny. He considered her a joke.

A tone of questions had been raised in her mind recently, since they first established that Cuff was actually alive, resulting from him being sighted at the beach by Clyro. But to think about them would be doing exactly what everyone wanted. And she found it especially easy to do what others didn't want her to do.

"Oh yeah. I forgot that was the story." Cuff sniggered.

"What story?" She spat.

"The story in your head, of course."

"Care to tell it to me?"

"That would be interesting. I'd love to see you getting all riled up as you learn the truth. But I'm not sure this is the right time to tell you."

"You're here. It's the perfect time."

"Mmm." Cuff stroked the gruff on his chin as he thought.

"How about I tell you what I know and you fill in some blanks." Darquesse bargained. If she killed him now she wouldn't know what he was hiding, plus this way she got to really make him suffer if he lied, or just for the sake of it anyway.

Cuff's leer was wicked when he turned it on her.

"Ok."

"You were my contact organised by the Banshee to meet me in Russia."

"That's correct." He was so excited he couldn't help speaking.

"You experimented with magic in order to help me stop from ever becoming Darquesse."

"Yes-"

"Great job by the way." she quipped sarcastically. "Your experiments resulted in Clyro Noir, my very own travel pocket executioner to keep me on a lead in case I get too excited."

"Clyro is a marvellous creation and I'm sure he will work exceptionally well when his final command is activated."

"Since I decide when that actually happens I'd be prepared to wait a while."

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure. You can never predict what will make someone flip. Trauma is a good way to push someone to their limits. Or devastating information dropped at the worst possible moment. That's a favourite of mine."

"So drop me some devastating news and I'll tell you if you're theory works or not. Stop dancing around whatever it is you want to tell me."

"I was not the father of your daughter, nor did we ever have a relationship. We re-built your memories so you wouldn't go running back to the skeleton to tell him Mevolent was alive. You became very obedient."

"Who was the father?" Darquesse spoke clearly but low. She didn't know where Cuff was going with this, hell she didn't even know if he was telling the truth. What were the chances really?

Darquesse spotted his mouth rolling around his face as he tried to subdue his psychotic grin emerging.

"...It's…"

Swiftly sprinting through the woods again, Darquesse tried to relieve her anger. She had killed the prick after he decided to not divulge that last piece of information after all. Cuff might as well of been speaking bullcrap, but for some disturbing reason, a tiny inkling was buzzing about and it believed him.

Voices drifted to her on the wind. She bolted her feet to the floor, feeling the mental drains she frequently did. She treaded on carefully hoping to go unnoticed before being sensed.

She wanted to inflict so much pain on someone and force them to stay awake through it, just so she could relieve some tension. She had to stop grinding her teeth because it was making her jaw ache, then her lip started bleeding because she was chewing it so hard.

She curved through the trees and came up behind the epicentre of the voices.

They were getting louder, she could only hear one clearly and the closer she got to it the more certain she became that it was Mevolent. Thankfully he hadn't realised her presence, or he was ignoring her and waiting for her to get closer.

Darquesse hunkered down behind a broad trunk where it's roots scurried out like spider legs. She concentrated on what was being said.

"…there is no point in trying to get up. I will just knock you down again. That's where you should have stayed Skulduggery, in the ground."

"You never put me in the ground, as I recall I was thrown into a river. If your memory is decompensating, there isn't much hope for the rest of you. Being in a cage like a dog has done you no good." Skulduggery replied.

"I guess you _detected _that did you? Because that's what you do now."

"The symptoms are hard to miss."

"For someone like you, you mean?"

"Well I wouldn't be talking about _you_ would I? You're a bit dim."

"I'm going to give you a glance into what I can do. I'm not at full strength yet but I will be. You won't be there to see it but you will probably be dead by then anyway."

Mevolent struck out his hand aiming it at Skulduggery, but nothing happened.

"Actually, I don't think I am quite ready to kill you yet. That would be putting you out of your so deserved misery, and I'm not in a merciful mood. I'm going to make it hurt." He threatened.

"I'm in misery just looking at your face." Skulduggery replied. Darquesse felt the scowl grace her brow. Skulduggery sounded in pain.

"Stop with the wit, Skulduggery. No-one is laughing at your jokes anymore."

"They are still laughing at your face. I'm laughing too… but internally."

"Oh this is rich." Mevolent boomed. The cringe worthy chuckles fell out of Mevolent's mouth and latched onto anything warm or living. "If you only knew the position I am in here. It's glorious."

Darquesse held her breath as she leaned forward and peaked around the tree. She saw Mevolent crouch down in front of Skulduggery who was on his knees, and licked his lips right in his face.

"You wouldn't be so quick to joke if you were aware of the things I did to your precious Valkyrie." Darquesse's ears pricked with curiosity. It always lead back to Valkyrie. But she never remembered seeing Mevolent when she was Valkyrie, he was trying to get under his skin.

Skulduggery bowed his head but Darquesse knew he was listening to every word Mevolent was saying.

"You see, we found Valkyrie in Russia or rather we led her to us. She was all alone and searching for a way out. I offered her my help but she refused to take it, until I used my powers of persuasion."

Those powers must have been pretty substantial. Darquesse didn't even remember meeting Mevolent. He must have got to her earlier then she thought.

Mevolent lent forward, his breath pooled in front of Skulduggery's skull. "And boy did I get to see her squirm. She put on a tantalizing show for me. I knew she was special, so special that I couldn't afford having her running back to you."

"So you took advantage of her, brainwashed her then held her captive so you could keep using her." She picked up the subtle menacing tone in Skulduggery's voice. He was restraining himself.

"One of my most complicated and entertaining plans yet. I'm quite proud of it, but for clarity I did have Cuff engage in let's say… intimate actions with her. That way the foetus they made would be mine. They were already forming a relationship so it was the next logical step."

Mevolent abruptly cut himself off when someone's whistling made it to his ears. He jumped up and searched his surroundings. Darquesse emerged from behind a tree, a smirk plastered on her face casually bopping into his line of sight.

"Oh I think we can all tell when you're lying, Mevolent." Darquesse addressed him as she came closer to him and Skulduggery.

Mevolent seemed surprised for a moment before shrouding it under smugness.

"Uh oh, you caught me." Mevolent boasted forgetting about Skulduggery and shifting all his attention to Darquesse.

"I think it's safe to say, that we both know it wasn't Cuff who Valkyrie had a relationship with."

"And what makes you say that?" Mevolent challenged.

Shrugging her shoulder, "Cuff told me." she said.

"And you believed him?"

"It's amazing how many people tell the truth when they think I am about to slaughter them."

"And did you?" Mevolent dared to ask, but his gut feeling told him he wasn't going to get the answer he wanted.

"Without hesitation. You however made a great mistake in delaying taking care of Skulduggery. You won't get the chance again."

Darquesse needed Mevolent to feel vulnerable, more vulnerable than her. She saw the signs of the blast he was caught up in thanks to China, maybe she was more valuable to her than she originally thought. But she wanted to make him feel under attack, he was more likely to make more mistakes that way.

She began to circle him, like she was more interested in the invisible circle she was walking around him and Skulduggery. Mevolent's expression was pouncing off his face, he didn't like her taking charge and controlling the conversation.

"I never wanted to kill him, I just wanted to play. I haven't had many opportunities to torture and torment my old rivals. Oh, here's another devastating secret for you." Mevolent spread his arms so both Darquesse and Skulduggery were engaged. His head turned slightly to his old foe. "One of your Dead Men has been working for me all along!" he sang to them avidly awaiting their reaction.

"Desperation is truly ugly on you. Do you intend to elaborate?" Darquesse coaxed since apparently Skulduggery didn't feel like talking anymore.

"Not really." Mevolent drawled slapping his hands together and spinning excitedly like a crazy man. "But for you my sweet, I will offer you the gift of one question. Any one question you want and I will answer it honestly."

"Why would I believe you?" Darquesse scoffed. "All I can think of doing is to exterminate you, in the most agonising way possible and you're delaying the inevitable with a Q&A?"

Smirking Mevolent walked until he was looking down on her pretty, haunted face.

"Slow down, girl. You know why-"

Mevolent struck out his hand and a wave of red, sizzling fire hit both Darquesse and Skulduggery.

Darquesse was knocked to the ground, she actually thought Mevolent was a good sport, clearly she had to teach him a few lessons. She scrambled up when Skulduggery's screams pierced the night. The red fire had engulfed him singeing his suit and tarnishing his bones. Darquesse waved her hand and the fire went out, Skulduggery slumped to the ground and Mevolent was nowhere to be seen.

She scrunched her eyes searching for Mevolent in the darkness, trying to pick out his movement, she couldn't believe he had slipped through her fingers again. She couldn't see or detect him in any way, but after a few seconds she couldn't care less for her entire body had run cold.

The temperature around her hadn't dropped but her body felt like ice. Her shadows were vibrating erratically like eager, hopped up on sugar, puppies. She started to turn on the spot, already knowing who was stood behind her, making her hairs stand on end and goose bumps blankets her skin, before she saw him. Almost blending into the night if it wasn't for his shimmering armour. A grin erupted across her face.

"I've been picturing this moment for a long time." She spoke to him. His armour and helmet completely shutting her out from any attempt to establish what he was thinking. "Have you missed me?"

Lord Vile watcher her silently, his shadows swarmed at his feet like an extension of his armour, of his limbs, of his mind.

"I missed you." Darquesse offered slowly closing the gap between them until her face was so close she could almost see his pale skull through the gaps in his helmet.

Lord Vile ignored her and went to move past her in the direction Mevolent had gone. Darquesse stuck out her arm to block his path. Vile stopped when her warm skin met his cold writhing shadows. His head tilted to the side and down so her face was clear in his view.

"You don't really want to go after him now, do you? He's weakened, let him run for a while, we can catch up to him."

Vile grunted and pushed her arm down so he could continue with his intentions.

Darquesse made a tutting sound before grasping Lord Vile's arm and spinning him back to face her. A large hand closed around her throat and a jolt of excitement rushed through her.

Using his grip on her neck as leverage, Lord Vile walked Darquesse backwards until her back hit a tree. He continued to move forward until she was trapped between them both which were equally as solid.

She could feel warm liquid running down her bare arms, she felt his shadows lashing and nipping at her but she didn't care. Her eyes were transfixed on his helmet that was staring down at her. She flicked her hand and his shadows reared like wild horses as if they couldn't touch her anymore.

Smiling, Darquesse healed her broken skin and reached up for the hand around her throat. She grazed her fingers over his gloved fingers trying to feel where the metal met the shadows. She looked to him again through half lidded eyes, her eyelashes curving off acting as a startling contrast to pale skin and brown eyes.

"We would have beautifully evil babies, you know that right?" she murmured seductively at him, she locked her eyes on him so she could memorize his reaction.

Darquesse felt Vile's hand slid down to her waist. Her skin tingled at his cold touch and she assumed he was picking her up so she could wrap her legs around him but instead he slammed her again into the trunk hard and the back of her head cracked open. She couldn't stop the gasp that forced its way from her throat when sharp indentations in the bark pierced her skull, splitting open the bone.

Frowning, she healed herself quickly, not caring if any hair got caught between the cracks then she smashed her fist into his helmet. The shock forced Lord Vile back a couple of steps.

"I don't appreciate you giving me the silent treatment. But I'll let that slide, since we aren't going to be doing much talking anyway." Darquesse pressed her hands on the chest plates of Vile's armour and heaved him backwards until he was on his back. She jumped on him and straddled his hips before he could move. His shadows lashed out at her arms and neck, drawing blood in thick slits over her skin, but before her blood could spill out of her she was already healed.

Darquesse bent forward and took the increase in stabs from the shadows while she tore open his armour from the neck down to reveal his ripped and burnt suit underneath. She just managed to brush her finger against his sigil on his collarbone before his hands locked onto her arms in a tight grip. His strength would have been enough to crack an ordinary sorcerer in two, but Darquesse, was like trying to bend the earth.

With her hands trapped by her side, Vile's shadows repaired his armour and closed the gap over his chest before she could reach in and touch his newly revealed flesh body. She wondered what his face would look like this time. Vile sat up, his grip still on her. She didn't bother to resist, it excited her. She enjoyed being man handled by him, she longed for him to do more.

"You want this, don't you?" she cooed with their faces inches apart. "To finally touch me," she tried wiggling her arms free, Vile's grasp loosened allowing her to squirm out of his grip and closer to him. "To feel me." She took his hand and placed it on her chest. The shiny, black metal was hard and cold but her blood was pumping so fast through her, she didn't even notice. "To get inside me like you have wanted to do to your Valkyrie." she whispered running her hands up and resting them on his shoulders. She lent further forward so her head hovered next to where his ear would have been. "You can have me. You can have all of me." She felt his head turn slightly towards her, he was thinking about it, she could tell. "All you have to do," she continued. "is admit that I am more of a woman than Valkyrie could ever be."

The sudden change in position happened in a flash. Darquesse found herself being thrown off Lord Vile and hit every tree in her path like a pinball. Her back hurt when she landed, she guessed several of her bones had been broken. She laid in silence as her bones mended and realigned, apart from the internal cracking everything was silent. Easily picking out Vile's tread and his marching towards her.

Lord Vile loomed over her, tall and menacing, looking down on her as if she was nothing more than the ground he walked on. Darquesse could barely contain her grin when instead of crushing her under his feet, Vile whipped his shadows away like a cloak getting in his way or a strand of hair continuously getting in your face and knelt down straddling Darquesse.

She let Vile cover her with his body, the armour leaking away as he descended towards her. His armour separated into shadows and soaked away into his suit. The minute his armour and helmet had melted away, his suit turned from Valkyrie's favourite navy to Darquesse's favourite midnight, harsh black. His hair was longer at the front then the back, as pitch as his armour. The darkened look of lust was streaming through his dark eyes. The necromancy magic that flowed through his armour was flowing through his fake body.

Darquesse grinned, he was still wary of her.

"Does this mean you admit it?" She breathed out looking up at Lord Vile with greedy anticipation. The fleshed out body of Lord Vile held relatively no expression until that moment. The flash of anger coursed across his high cheek bones, sparks flared behind his eyes. Then a hot sting enveloped one side of her face and the other side hit cold dirt. It took her a moment to realise that he had slapped her.

Her face burned, so did the rest of her body. She prepared to heave him off but when she dragged her head back to look at him, the anger had drained from his eyes, his soft gloved hand slid around her neck and into her hair and she was being pulled forward and lips crashed onto hers.

Darquesse breathed in Vile's scent as her lips roamed over his. Her arms snaked around him, gripped him frantically so he was laid on her fully. Vile's hands were either side of her head holding his weight off her as Darquesse tackled his face. Her panting was loud as she moved Vile between her legs. Darquesse tensed her thigh muscles and actually thanked China internally for giving Skulduggery a full body makeover with her sigil. She could feel him hard at her centre.

Vile was being far too silent for Darquesse, the only noises he made were when his lips slid over hers, wet kissing noises turned her on but she wanted to hear him groan her name. Bucking her hips slowly, rolling them into Vile's, she swore she felt him shiver with the contact.

Taking back control Darquesse rolled them over without breaking contact with his lips and straddled him again. She pulled back sitting up and staring down out Vile, who although he looked out of breath, there was nothing on his face. No anger, no lust. Darquesse feared he was about to throw her off, to prevent that she trapped his mouth and kissed him hard. She was relentless and while she distracted him with heated, heavy kisses, that he was very much reciprocating, her fingers found their way to his belt.

Undoing the belt quickly was easy and so was opening the button of his trousers with her nimble fingers. The moment her hand slid under his underwear waistband the more ferocious his kisses became. Once she had fully pulled out his dick she let her own pants and underwear melt away as stroked him. She heard his breath hitch and speed up and placing him at the entrance to her pussy, she lowered her weight and let Vile slid into her slick centre until she was fully down on his hips.

Moans spewed out of her mouth as she adjusted to Vile's impressive size. She gazed at him and felt fuzzy when she saw his eyes shut tightly and his gloves firmly clawed into the ground.

Before she started bucking she took each of Vile's hands, ignoring the confused look she was getting and pulled off the gloves. She wanted to feel his skin as his fingers felt and caressed her sexually frustrated body. Vile didn't deter her, he just watched and waited patiently. When she took both of his hands he let her and when she placed them on her boobs and squeezed her hands around his, his eyebrow peaked.

Jolts and tingles were flying through every part of Darquesse. At long last she felt Vile's skin on her and once she had guided him into caressing her, she started to buck at the pleasure. She rose up and down on his cock quivering as the pleasure was so intense she was starting to feel light headed. Picking up the pace the friction and pressure was building up inside her, her moans tumbled out with each thrust.

Goosebumps ran down her legs and Vile's hands snapped to her hips in a strong hold and started pulling her down on his dick harder than she could do alone. Her moans became more high pitched and breathless. With Vile guiding her down on him her hands were free to wander up his chest, ripping apart the fabric and feeling the cold that was curling off him.

Darquesse grazed her fingertips over his abdomen and up his pecks before curling around his neck and yanking him up. She was on her knees in his lap. bouncing away as the new position sent Vile in at a deeper angle. Her hips had a mind of their own and started thrusting faster. Her squeals filled the cool, dank air and her breathing grew horse.

Leaning close to Vile's ear, she whispered "fuck me harder, bad boy."

At her words Vile vaulted them to his feet, he held her thighs and wrapped them around him when he was high enough. He gripped her at the waist and thrust her down until she had no choice but to hang onto him just to keep from flying into the sky. Vile spun round and fucked her up the side of a tree, scraping her back against the jagged bark and causing it to split.

Darquesse was too engaged in the sex to think of anything otherwise. Vile's thrusts were hard, filling her to the brim and stroking against her g-spot causing spasms in her legs.

"Oh God," she wailed as her orgasm crashed over her sending jolts to every nerve ending. The waves hit her again and again and then she wanted just that extra bit more. Finding the trunk beneath her palms she pushed with the strength of her powerful arms and shot both herself and Vile forward, forcing them to crash to the ground. They hit the forest floor with such force, the impact caused the soil to give way and they were sent tumbling down into the earth's crust.

Everything suddenly went black. Clashing rocks and crumbling debris plummeted down taking Darquesse and Lord Vile with them.

"You two took your time getting here. I thought you weren't going to show up at all."

The voice swarmed around her head, but Darquesse felt groggy. Her head was pounding like it had been bashed in. She couldn't fully comprehend Mevolent's words, but she knew they were his. When her eyes would finally peel open her vision was still blurry but she could make out Mevolent's pacing steps not far in front of her. She was surrounded by rock in a dank cavern somewhere.

Darquesse deduced that she was probably in the tunnels underground not far from China's residence.

She remembered smashing through the ground still entwined with Lord Vile, it would explain why they had ended up in the tunnels. The feelings of her body were coming back to her gradually. Knowing she was on her knees and the solid ground digging into the joints was slightly painful and degrading. Her hands were trapped behind her back and twisted in an awkward position so she couldn't move. There was no way she could stand and get out, the sigils covering her restraints held her in place. Not being able to see the sigils didn't mean she didn't know they were there. She could feel their magic encasing hers.

She flicked her eyes to the ground and realised she was knelt in the centre of a circle, painted and entirely made up of different sigils linked together magically binding her and keeping her static. Glancing to her right she saw Skulduggery in the exact same position.

It wasn't going well for them.

"Now that I have you both here and willing to listen, it's only fair that I talk. After all I am the one who holds all the secrets."

"Are you sure about that?" Skulduggery's voice was somehow calm when he spoke.

"I'm sorry. You're right, no-one holds more secrets then the great Skulduggery Pleasant. I wonder if I told your beloved partner all the secrets you were keeping from her, would she be able to look at you in the same way? I did you a favour by summoning Darquesse, Valkyrie would have died if I hadn't."

"You didn't summon me." she contradicted still groggy.

"Oh I did. The past few years have all been rigorously planned out, to every detail so you would emerge when I wanted you to. Had to take a monstrous amount of precautions though. Taking your baby was just one but at the top of the list."

Darquesse struggled to work against her bounds , the metal ropes were slicing into her wrists.

"Don't do that dear, you're going to hurt yourself."

"What do you need me for?" Darquesse asked giving up on her bounds. If she was at full strength, nothing could hold her or bind her for long. And if Mevolent was at full strength he wouldn't of needed the magical bounds in the first place.

She startled Mevolent with her question, he smiled in response.

"I'm afraid it isn't the right time."

"But you have needed me for a long time haven't you? That's why you cooked up my daughter so you would have leverage over me. No doubt if she was still alive she would be a monster, after being corrupted by you for years. But your plan backfired and she died. Do your worst Mevolent."

Mevolent's smile disintegrated on his face leaving a frown in its place.

"You would abandon your own flesh and blood?"

"She is not either of those things anymore. She died in that fire and I have no intentions of trying to dredge that up. I only ever wanted to find her killer and destroy him. You just cut my mission's deadline down years."  
>Mevolent clucked, sparkles in his eyes.<p>

"Mevolent. I will destroy you and everyone who has ever associated with you. There will be no place to hide, I will devastate the world looking for you and your parasite followers. I won't stop until I have eradicated you from this world. So go ahead with your plan. I'm fairly certain it won't matter."

Mevolent eyed her carefully. It was at that moment that he realised Darquesse was too dangerous to be left alive, but he himself was too weak to do it. His gaze shifted to Skulduggery who hadn't moved once since Mevolent tried to tongue lash him last. He crept over to the circular barrier around Skulduggery and put his hand through so he could pull something out of his breast pocket. The odd shape in the fabric had been bugging him for ages, he wanted to know what Skulduggery had in there.

The small blackened vial of glistening white liquid was revealed in his hand. Mevolent scrutinized it before throwing it up and catching it in his other hand.

"And what do we have here?"

"Return that to me or I will cut off your face and feed them to you." Skulduggery threatened.

"I'd used his dick." Darquesse mumbled to herself, though not that quietly.

"You are making pretty big threats for people who can't move."

"I'll find a way." Skulduggery stated. "I always do."

"Stop trying to win Skulduggery. You will find the deeper you dig into this, the more you will wish you hadn't."

"You have no idea what you are holding, so that means I win this one."

"I know it's dangerous. I know you want it back, and I know you first acquired it as a way to destroy Darquesse." Mevolent smirked her way, rolling the vial between his large, smooth fingers. Darquesse felt his excitement increase when her reaction was to glare silently in the opposite direction of both of them. She grit her teeth when Mevolent's laughter at her expense reached her ears. There was nothing she could do to get herself out of her restrictions but as soon as she did get loose, there was a huge amount of vengeance to dish out on someone.

"Were you unaware of what his intentions were towards you, love?" Mevolent directed his attention to her, crouching in front of her, seeing blankness on her face but feeling the overturn of emotions within. He licked his lips slowly and allowed her eyes to follow their route. "Because if you want rid of him we can do that together, here, now. You deserve to be with someone equally great and magnificent as you, not somebody who won't truly give you the time of day because he's ashamed of himself for forgetting his wife and falling for someone else. But you aren't that person, love. And I would treat you like the Goddess you are, Darquesse. You just have to say the words."

Listening to Mevolent's attempt to turn her against Skulduggery was amusing, but a part of her felt it wasn't crazy, what he had said to her. She could fully believe that Skulduggery had searched for things to destroy her. It was only a matter of time really before he tried to use one of them on her.

"Darquesse." Skulduggery let his voice caress her name in his thick Irish accent, as he said it. She reluctantly twisted her neck to see him and they locked eyes. Mevolent watched, his eyes passing back and forth between the two. He knew that any weight his words had seconds ago was now gone. All it took was one look, he saw it on her face like he had seen it on many others, and she wasn't going to betray him. Stepping in the gap, cutting Skulduggery from Darquesse's view, Mevolent took control again.

"I heard Silvo Godske wanted to make you an official member of the Acid Battery. He thought you were inspiring he did. His favourite anecdote of you was always North Point Primary School." Mevolent concentrated on her expression, the taste of her discomfort was tantalising on his tongue. He spotted the spark of anxiety immediately and from the way Skulduggery was now looking at her, it was completely warranted.

Refusing to look away first, she was forced to stare him in the eyes as he continued. The burn of Skulduggery's scrutiny was inescapable.

"Fifty-five students all under the age of sixteen… gone in a puff of smoke. Easiest clean-up we have ever had to do, Silvo said. And it was all thanks to you. Swanning in through the doors as the children gathered in the hall. You came up behind them. Not a single child knew they were about to die. None of them saw it coming, or indeed felt it when it happened."

Darquesse was surging with outrage but she concealed it all away. Mevolent's face had turned smug at the fact that she was avoiding Skulduggery's eyes and it turned her stomach. She could feel Skulduggery looking at her but she was resisting it. Her body wouldn't allow her to look his way. She silently focused her strength and let her head loll forwards onto her chest.

"I don't think she wants to talk to us anymore." Mevolent chuckled as he joked and directed his attention to Skulduggery instead.

"That's alright. We have a lot more history." Mevolent hadn't realised the annoyance he would cause himself when he forced his victim to kneel. Yes he loved being able to tower over them, but when he really wanted to get under their skin he liked talking to their faces. All this bending down and crouching was creating aches in his back. Still he wanted his words to cause the right effect. He crouched resting his elbows on his knees and letting his lean arms dangle down.

"Our history is old news, it would be incredibly insensitive of me if I brought up old wounds. Say for instance the death of your wife and child. But you knew I was going to say that already. Hell, everyone knows they can use that on the great Skulduggery Pleasant, it would usually mean their death, but hey, no-one is as daring as me."

The white of Skulduggery's skull reflected the shines from Mevolent's armour at their close proximity. "Obviously their deaths as well as yours were all down to me. I'm impressed that you have grown enough in yourself to befriend the killer of your family. I remember the look on China's face when she returned and told me the good news. She was so hot and bothered by it, we had sex nonstop all night." He tried to gage Skulduggery, waiting for the backlash but it didn't come. He couldn't determine Skulduggery's thought, he was just a blank faced skeleton to him in a snazzy ripped suit and without the perfect matching hat to go with it.

"I know it was rumoured amongst your allies, that she wanted you. I heard you liked her too. Then you married your very bland and boring wife and kicked China to the curb. The veil was lifted from her eyes that night and she begged me, that if the opportunity came to take out your wife, she would be the one to act. And we couldn't leave your child an orphan so it had to go too, the cherry on the top of the cake. The night she took their last breaths away from them was the best night of her life."

Mevolent swayed from side to side trying to see if Skulduggery's was even still awake. He had hoped his notations about China would have caused some sort of uproar. But there was nothing. Skulduggery wasn't moving at all.

"That's getting quite unnerving now."

Mevolent pondered for a moment before smiling at his foe as if they were old time friends.

"I know that's a sore spot for you… but it's not the worst. Not anymore." Those dark, beady eyes dragged up and focused on the empty sockets in front. This time Mevolent knew he was listening. It made it all the more special when his words rang out loud and clear.

"Let's talk about Valkyrie."

That smirk slid into place when he saw the spark appear. The spark of anger quickly building up behind the eye sockets. It was confirmation to Mevolent that he was right and knowing Skulduggery could be hurt even more now, could be got to through one person so completely that it would crush him, it would make revealing his already executed plan in Russia all the more devastating.

"She's your partner, as you describe it. Yet I'm pretty sure it's probably true in every sense of the word. You have to live with the fact that I got to your family two hundred years ago, you barely survived. But how would you cope when you found out that I got to Valkyrie Cain too. Because I did Skulduggery, I really, really did."

Skulduggery sprung forward, free of his restraints but hit the barrier in front of him and was knocked back. Mevolent only spared his outburst a hearty laugh before moving on. "And doesn't that just kill you?" Mevolent teased tilting his head. Skulduggery had returned to his kneeling position and had bowed his head without a word to Mevolent. Now he mirrored Darquesse's position adjacent to him. They both could have fooled anyone into thinking they were statues.

"That one was right, you know." Mevolent continued nodding his head in Darquesse's direction. "Cuff did not father her child. Their entire relationship was a farce Fraa cooked up in order to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy. He took it upon himself to install a few little failsafe's in her mind to prevent her from ever harming him. That git deserved what he got. I took the child and I was able to get what I needed from it, and now I don't need the birth mother anymore. That was just for insurance."

Mevolent jumped up and tossed the vial of Angel's Blood in his hands, manoeuvring his way so he was stood in front of Darquesse. He held the bottle out admiring the way it sparkled, even in the darkness. His eyebrows furrowed when he felt a subtle pull on the bottle. It felt like it was a magnetic pulse that was attracting the bottle to something else. Mevolent stopped resisting and let his hand be pulled towards the invisible barrier that surrounded Darquesse.

Confused, Mevolent turned to Skulduggery who was also observing him and the vial due to Mevolent's sudden silence. Darquesse wasn't paying attention, her head was still bowed forward and Skulduggery neglected to offer any explanation. Mevolent wasn't positive Skulduggery knew what was happening anyway. Even he had only heard the myths about Angel's Blood, and none of them were certain. It's properties were unknown.

Mevolent pushed his hand forward and the liquid inside the glass vial started to glow. The light pulsed the closer it got to Darquesse.

"Oh," Mevolent buzzed practically giddy with excitement. "It wants you, baby. It wants a taste of you."

Placing a finger on his wrist, he brushed away the fabric to reveal sigils carved into his skin. The sigils circling Darquesse glowed red then disappeared. She looked up craning her neck back finally meeting his eyes.

"I really _really_ want to know what this will do to you." Her eyes were forced to focus on the glass vial that was being shoved in her face. The vial was vibrating more aggressively in Mevolent's hand when it got in closer proximity to her.

"Shall we find out?" he whispered euphoric at the unexpected frenzy.

"No!"  
>Mevolent's head snapped to Skulduggery.<p>

"What wrong with you? Not want to find out what the pretty liquid will do to your lover's doppelganger? What were you carrying it around for if you didn't intend on using it?" Mevolent badgered, stroking the smooth glass that was slowly heating up. It was no more than an arm's length away from her.

"Please…" Feeling a huge sense of bliss at the desperation in Skulduggery's voice. It was like all his birthdays had come at once. He had never heard that amount of despair in his voice before. "... don't use that on her."

Mevolent actually howled, but retained the vial in his hand. "Pleasant, you are making this far too easy-"

Before he could brag another word, Darquesse blasted out a high pitched, ear tingling whistle which provoked rumbles and quakes around them. Stumbling backwards slightly Mevolent gawked at her.

"You stupid bitch! What have you done?" he snarled. He avoided getting any closer to her now that she was free. How could he have been so premature into thinking he had the upper hand and was safe to let her prison fall?

Darquesse stood and sent him a coy beam. "Called some friends." she explained, or didn't.

Rage exploded all over Mevolent's face, he tightened his grip on the vial of Angel's Blood and reared his arm. The vial was sprung from his grasp when the boulders making the wall behind him collapsed and a horde of hell dogs bombarded through every inch of broken rubble and piled onto Mevolent. He was brought to his knees as the dogs tore into his limbs, grinding away at his armour with their razor like teeth and ripping at his robes before chewing down on his form. The hell dogs dragged a yelling, totally overpowered Mevolent away.

Skulduggery caught sight of him disappear, his head turned to find the vial and he saw it racing back down from the height it had managed. Darquesse was too engrossed savouring every second of Mevolent being mauled and dragged away.

Skulduggery knew where the Angel's Blood was going to land, he just knew it. He was powerless to stop it as he was still confined to his prison thanks to Mevolent's sigils. They would wear off once he was too distracted to maintain their function, but not in time.

The vial passed through the air like a bullet, Darquesse caught sight, at the last second of it hurtling towards her. She knew she could stop it hitting her, but it was more of a rush to leave it to the last second and let the adrenaline fully take over her body. She never anticipated the large slab jostled out of position in the rock behind that would fall from above, smash her in the back and jolt her forward right into the path of the flying bottle of death.

The last thing she could comprehend was the sound of Skulduggery's roar the moment the vial struck her chest.

A blinding white light filled every crack of the cavern and Darquesse's screams were heard causing aftershocks. The pain that consumed her was mind numbing, like a hole had been clawed out of head. Everything flashed then the world melted away.

The sigils around Skulduggery faded, he bolted for Darquesse's body that had collapsed on the floor in no doubt painful angles, and was unmoving. Skulduggery scooped her up into his arms and flew through the tunnels, finding his way back to the surface.

The cool air tossed her dark hair across her peaceful looking face. Skulduggery laid her down gently, stroking his gloved finger down over her cheek. He bent down and listened at her mouth for any sign of her breathing, he checked her neck and her wrist but there was nothing. Her skin was growing icy and turning blue.

Skulduggery roared an angry shout, fumbling erratically for something in his pocket. He brought out a seven sided star contraption, and placed it on her chest. Her skin was burnt from the incident but her clothes had melted away in places. He waited for the light on the top to go red. The light came and faded just as quickly, she didn't awaken.

"Damn it!" Skulduggery shouted again repeating the procedure with the Sunburst. The red light flashed again for the second time, he stayed silent unable to move, but the Sunburst failed to work again. There was no brain activity, no breathe sounds, no beating heart.

He recharged the Sunburst one more time but before the light could go red, he hesitated to activate it again. He wondered if he should just let her go, let her be peaceful in the afterlife.

During his thoughts his finger had subconsciously activated the Sunburst and the red light appeared again. He was immediately grateful. The girl's eyes opened suddenly, she awoke with a breathless gasp. Her eyes were bright but frightened and confused.

Skulduggery took her cheek in his hand, it was hard looking at her, she looked different, almost normal.

Skulduggery's mind jumped at the fact that she did in fact look like her old self. How was it possible that she looked like Valkyrie again.

"Valkyrie?" Skulduggery whispered tenderly , not wanting to let himself believe before he was sure. But he couldn't stop it. Her eyes found him and focused before she let out a frantic scream.

Deep in the ground the earth was silent apart from one sound. The sound of glass rolling over tiny pebbles and rocks, the chinking sound of glass echoing through the underground labyrinth. The vial of Angel's Blood now empty of any light rolled off a cliff and into the unknown. Taking the essence it had gained with it.


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello, sorry for the long wait. I try and give you long chapters to compensate, I hope that helps. I would like to give a thanks to **_**KaeterinaRomanov**_**and **_**Saige Chia **_**for mentioning the length. And that won't change. I am incapable of writing a short story. Hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: Derek Landy owns Skulduggery Pleasant. Buttface.**

**Following the Darquesse**

**Chapter Ten**

"I'm sorry about that. I don't know what came over me." Valkyrie sat up in a rush and caused herself a dizzy spell.  
>"That's quite all right." A kind voice replied steadying her back before she fell over with his hand. Valkyrie rubbed her forehead. The nice man had such a lovely voice, caring and gentle she didn't feel that alarmed at the moment. Then she attempted to wipe her eyes.<br>"Are you ok?" The nice man asked.  
>"Yeah… I'm fine. Actually no, I feel like my head is cracked open."<br>"Would you like me to check?" He offered.  
>"Yes please." Valkyrie tilted her head forward so her chin was resting on her chest. Her eyes fluttered closed when she felt tender fingers roaming over her scalp. The sensations on her head were pleasant, she didn't want it to stop.<p>

"Anything?" Valkyrie asked after thinking it was taking a while, nether the less she was enjoying it anyway.  
>"No. Your skull had no external injuries, Valkyrie."<br>"Valkyrie? That's a pretty name. But I'm not called that." Valkyrie looked at the man that was helping her for the first time. Her eyes went wide as his bleach white skull looked back at her.  
>"You're a…" she stuttered standing up roughly so she could observe the stranger more clearly. "Skeleton. Oh my God, you're a skeleton."<p>

She was light headed the second she stood and wobbled. Her balance wasn't returning to her as quickly as she had hoped. God she didn't even know what had happened to her. Or where the heck she was. "How did I not notice that before?"  
>"It would appear that this is the first time you have met me. You must be suffering from concussion and slight amnesia." Skulduggery said not as calmly as he would have liked. "You look like you are about to faint." He said concerned. He took a step towards her but stopped in case he spooked her.<br>"Well... duh. I'm talking to a Skeleton! God what am I saying? Ahhh."

Valkyrie's attempt at a convincing scream failed in all aspects. She knew this. But she wasn't about to give in. She started spinning on the spot clutching at her head whilst hoping this weird world where skeletons talk was all going to disappear any second.

"AHHHHHH!" She yelled with more passion. Skulduggery watched her, somehow she could tell he was amused. "Would you mind catching me now?" Her body drained of what small amount of energy she had. "I don't really want to fall in the mud."  
>"Of course I will."<br>Valkyrie's eyes rolled into the back of her head. She barely had time to pass out before Skulduggery had encased her in his arms and was scooping her off his feet.

When Valkyrie woke she was in a car. Blurry objects whizzed past her through the windows. Her seat was really comfortable and set just perfect for her, she smiled. The heaters were turned up fighting off the threat of a chill and she had a long soft black coat over her keeping her feeling extra comfortable.  
>"You're awake." A velvet voice said beside her.<br>"Yes. Sorry about passing out on you."  
>"Don't worry, it's not the first time it's happened."<br>"Really?"  
>Skulduggery nodded. "The first time we officially met, you fainted on me."<br>"And again, can you really blame me? You seem to think I am part of your world but I'm clearly not. You must have the wrong girl."  
>"I don't think so Valkyrie."<br>"Why do you keep calling me that?… why do you think my name is Valkyrie?" she asked cautiously when his gaze on her didn't change. Skulduggery tilted in her direction. She began to feel nervous at the amount of time his attention wasn't on the road, but he handled the car expertly as if he didn't even need to look.  
>"Well if Valkyrie isn't your name, why don't you tell me what is?" Valkyrie gave him a stern look but smiled.<br>"Wouldn't it be silly of me to reveal myself to a complete stranger?"  
>"Fair point." Skulduggery answered unoffended and overly impressed at Valkyrie's survival instincts. Even when something was clearly wrong with her, she was still always thinking, always working things out, always observing. "But as long as you know your name I don't suppose it matters."<br>"Right." Valkyrie's smiled broadened and then faulted. "Wait… I…" Her apprehensive eyes flicked up to Skulduggery. He returned her gaze.  
>"I can't remember, I can't think." She took her head in her hands as a brand new cycle of headaches over took her. "How does someone not remember their own name?" Valkyrie growled to herself. Skulduggery waited silently until she dragged her head up away from her hands. Her red rimmed eyes and tear jerked face wasn't something he could ignore.<p>

All Valkyrie wanted was comfort. She didn't know who she was or what happened yesterday, she couldn't remember any of her life and this skeleton man looked as if he had just stepped out of a horror film was dutifully taking care of her. Who was he? And why did he have this hold over her, making her feel safe and secure around him?

She was starting to panic and her hard breathing was forcing her to gasp through her sobbing. The moment the stranger reached across and took her hand tightly, her chest felt less constricted.  
>"Your name is Stephanie Edgerly and you go by Valkyrie Cain to protect yourself and your family. I promise you I will fix what ever has happened to you, ok?" His words sounded so sincere and his hand was squeezing hers, it fit so perfectly around hers, she didn't want him to let go. She merely nodded in response knowing her voice was going to come out squeaky and weepy.<p>

"So you know me well then?" Valkyrie asked timidly once the tears had stopped flowing and she felt less of an idiot.  
>"I like to think so."<br>She was finding it hard to take everything in, she didn't know what to think of what was going on, but it was keeping the firm pounding in her head going.  
>"Can we pull over for a minute, please?" Valkyrie asked.<br>"Are you ok?" Skulduggery queried.  
>"I feel a bit travel sick." He gently pulled over trying to avoid jostling Valkyrie in case she was sick in the Bentley. He cut off the engine and made his way around the back to open the passenger door. He carefully pulled her from the car and made her lean against it. She let the skeleton man move her hair from her sweaty forehead. It was unsettling how she didn't mind it at all.<br>"You have a fever." He explained with his gloved hands covering her forehead, she let her eyes close as a cool breeze hit her face.

"What's your name?" Valkyrie asked watching the skeleton man faff over her.  
>"It's about time you asked." She sensed the humour behind his words.<br>"I was busy fainting and what not."  
>"I suppose as excuses go, that's a pretty rubbish one. But I'll let you off. I am Skulduggery Pleasant, nice to meet your acquaintance."<br>"That's a funny name." she said before thinking, and then she wanted to scramble the words back into her mouth in case she had offended her saviour. "I'm sorry that was rude." Skulduggery tilted his head at her as if he was smiling.  
>"Valkyrie, there is one thing you should learn when you are with me."<br>Her skin prickled at his intense look. How she could tell was a mystery to her and she would rather not get a heads up before she was scolded. Unable to look away, Valkyrie prepared herself for a berating.  
>"What's that?"<br>"You never, ever have to apologise to me."  
>"Not even if I stepped on your puppy?"<br>"I don't have a puppy so that's lucky." She laughed.  
>"Where are you taking me?"<br>"I'm taking you to my home, you will be safe there." Skulduggery explained.  
>"For all I know you could be taking me there to torture me and cut me to pieces like some creepy horror film rubbish."<br>"You're right, I could be doing that." When he didn't elaborate with the words _'but I'm not' _Valkyrie began to feel slightly uneasy.  
>"You could be a murderer, I mean look at your face. You're a skeleton."<br>"You have every right to think that."  
>Valkyrie frowned. "Well… good. So thank-you Mr Pleasant, I appreciate everything you have done for me. But I think I can manage by myself from now on."<br>"Are you sure?"  
>"Yes." Valkyrie replied pushing off the Bentley with her hands and when she was balanced she started walking down the unlit road the way they had come. She heard a howl come through the trees some distance away. She couldn't see anything in front of her, and when she looked over her shoulder Mr Pleasant was still stood leaning against his car trying to act as casual as possible she assumed. The howl came again, louder and this time and it had an echo. Either that or it wasn't alone.<p>

Valkyrie spun on her heel and hurried back to the skeleton and his car. His skull tilted in her direction when she got close.

"Ok I've changed my mind. It's worth the risk and is a million times better than being eaten by wolves or anything else just as grisly." Skulduggery opened her door for her and she slid in.

Skulduggery got in the driver's side and they were speeding through the night.  
>"So where do you live?" Valkyrie asked after miles and miles of unfamiliar surroundings had flown past her eyes.<br>"Ah, well it's a beautiful spot. Secluded and peaceful. It really is an enlightening place."  
>"What street?"<br>"Cemetery road."  
>"Oh great. Let me guess there's a funeral home on the street too, with scary trees and what not."<br>"Actually there are two."

Skulduggery parked the Bentley outside his house and carried a sleeping Valkyrie through the front door. He took her upstairs and tucked her into her bed.  
>Turning over in the soft sheets, enclosed in the snug warmth under the duvet, Valkyrie was reluctant to leave. She tossed and turned and landed with a face full of pillows. She stretched out making the most of the space and firm mattress that supported her perfectly. Her aches from sitting in a car for hours the day before were gradually disappearing. She rubbed the sleep from her eyelashes and was greeted by the sight of quite a lovely room, only lit by the small lamp over by the windowsill.<p>

Valkyrie didn't have much time to think of anything further. A loud, short bang came from the floor beneath causing a jolt to rush through her body. She was paralyzed for a moment while her mind raced. She then jumped from the bed throwing the covers down the side as she pounced off. Out in the corridor the woollen carpet muffled the sound of her bare feet as she stepped out and lightly closed the door behind her. She wasn't sure how to get downstairs and now that the house was silent, her heart was beating in her chest so rapidly she was frightened it would give her away. She peeked either way unsure of the layout of the house. It was big to say Skulduggery lived here alone. She wondered if he was lonely, almost certainly if he was wasting his time on someone who was practically a mental vegetable.

She was hardly going to find a way out of this mess by herself. The skeleton was her only hope. But now she was alone in his house, his big house that just screamed mystery. She had never even seen the front, didn't know what it looked like from the outside at all. Her poor navigation took her to a bathroom, two cupboards and nearly walked her off the top step if the bannister hadn't dug into her side. A yelp was almost pulled from her lips before she bit her tongue and forced herself to silently make it down the stairs. Valkyrie crept down the wooden staircase in complete darkness, relying greatly on the hand that had tightly gripped the railing and was guiding her down to the bottom.

Unable to make out any of the interior Valkyrie started feeling her way around the room. She heard some shuffling from the next room and when she whipped around the gaps between the door and the frame lit up suddenly like a Christmas tree. Flashes of orange and yellow froze her to the spot and then the door flew open and she was shoved backwards. She saw nothing but a black figure come at her, she felt arms wrap around her and she was forced into a pantry type room with a square glass window in the upper third. Valkyrie hit the back wall leaving her in complete darkness but with a full view of the skeleton on the other side with his index finger placed over his teeth. Valkyrie nodded vigorously.

"What's-" she tried to whisper to ask what was going on, presumably Skulduggery understood when he shook his head at her. Then she witnessed Skulduggery being swept off his feet by some hooded assailant.

Bangs and scraping sounds accompanied the fight Valkyrie could nearly see. The outline of one of the men came into view due to the moonlight filtering through the blinds. Valkyrie was scared stiff and when she heard bones crack and the pulling sound of a skull being plucked from the spinal cord, she started to scream, giving away her position.

Valkyrie's heartbeat was pumping so hard through her head she felt like her temples were expanding with the pressure. Her throat was dry and horse, sticking to the back like sandpaper. She scrambled up in the covers when the door opened suddenly and Skulduggery stepped half way through the door. He was hatless but in his suit, minus the jacket and it was still as neat and straight as it was before. She pulled the covers up to hide her shaking, but the sigh of relief was too heavy to control. She was glad his head was still attached to his body.

"You were screaming. Were you having a nightmare?" He asked in the most concerning and gentle voice. She really could get used to having him around.  
>"Yes." She nodded glumly.<br>"Do you want to talk about it?"

Valkyrie immediately shook her head. The details of her dream were still extremely vivid in her head and if she tried to think on them some more she would only make herself feel worse.  
>"Did I get nightmares a lot?" She looked to Skulduggery eyes wide about to bustle with tears. Skulduggery closed the door behind him and switched on the lamp on the windowsill. She shuffled to the centre of the bed when she saw him making his way over. He carefully sat down on the edge in order not to bounce the mattress too much.<p>

"It is hard for anyone involved with magic to not get caught up in events that cause the best of us to have nightmares. You had them frequently and whether you wanted to tell me or not, you always had the option to talk. Not just to me but you do have people around you." Valkyrie thought about how she had practically no-one now. No-one she remembered anyway. She felt the soft leather of a gloved hand reach out and wrap around her fingers. She looked up, half of his skull cascaded in black the other half in a tinged orange glow.  
>"You still have those people around you. It may not seem like it, but my words are the closet to the truth. Do you understand me?"<p>

Valkyrie hesitated for a split second and could already see the disappointment brewing on Skulduggery's skull. She couldn't deny she felt isolated and with Skulduggery being so decent to her, she didn't want to make him feel like she was ungrateful. But she could tell she had, she made him feel like she didn't appreciate what he had done for her in the past twelve hours. His fingers took her chin and tilted her head back so she had no way of avoiding his eye sockets.  
>"It's ok to feel uncertain Valkyrie. But I will never leave you on your own unless you ask me to. You don't have to feel afraid."<br>Nodding again and probably coming off more like a child unable to speak anything intelligent, sleep was dragging her into its deep cycles. Her head hit the cool pillow and she briefly felt the tension on the bed ease indicating that Skulduggery had stood.

Her eyes shot open as he made his way to the door. "Please," she whispered. "Don't leave me." She sincerely hoped Skulduggery wouldn't question her. Her cheeks were already rising to a rosy red, thankfully the room was dark so she was comforted by the fact that he probably couldn't tell she was embarrassed.

Surprisingly the crack in the door grew smaller and she felt his presence come closer. She didn't know how she knew he was walking towards her, his footsteps were silent. Thinking into her feelings for a skeleton was just the perfect whirlwind to fry her brain. She didn't dwell on it any longer.

Without seeing and only with touch to go on, Valkyrie felt Skulduggery's luxurious and space ridden suit align next to her where she sat. She snuggled in his arm, the covers tucked up to her chin and laid her head uncomfortably on his chest. Her upper body was sliding down and making her back ache. Chewing her lip she thought of adjusting but didn't want to ruin the atmosphere.

A calming presence ran over her when Skulduggery's fingers started stroking the top of her head.  
>"Do you want to rest your head on my shoulder? You seem quite uncomfortable there."<br>Valkyrie laughed. "No, it's a little too bony." She giggled again. She regretted her last comment and her laughter the moment Skulduggery started to inch away from her.

"No, wait. I'm sorry." She spluttered grabbing for his arms as she moved in unison with him. He took her hands in his to calmly stop her fretting. She almost yelped when his arms began to grow mass. Skulduggery's hands gripped hers so she couldn't pull away.

She couldn't help the gasp as a flesh body grew inside his suit and his hands guided her to his flesh face. Tracing her fingers along his high cheekbones, the skin was smooth and felt completely real. How was that possible? She let her fingertips linger on his lips for a second before he nudged her to sit back down against the headboard. Valkyrie snuggled up to his side and laid her head on his now cosy shoulder.

"If you had a convenient face maker handy, why didn't you use it when I first woke up? It would have saved me the screaming, you know."  
>"How was I to know you wouldn't remember me? It was a very unsettling experience."<br>"Yeah I'm sure it was really hard for you. Yet you still remember your whole life, so life's not that bad really." She laughed shaking Skulduggery's body in time with her giggles. She felt odd when he didn't join in, her laughs slowed to a stop.  
>"What's wrong?" She whispered afraid that she had offended him and he was about to move.<br>"I've been looked at in many different ways over the years," he started after a long pause. "After a few decades it becomes more like habit to ignore the bad ones. But remembering the good, you get complacent after living so long. Thinking you will remember everything because we are sorcerers. Your face..." He trailed off probably trying to choose his words carefully Valkyrie thought. Her heart was starting to beat faster; she could hear it bouncing through her body.

"The way you looked at me... my partner for six years. The person who knew my darkest secret, who had in turn confided in me with hers. You knew me more than any other person has since I was born. And when you woke up and all of that had vanished, I was a complete stranger to you. I still am."  
>Valkyrie felt the urge to look him in the face, but she resisted. Having the feeling that she might do something she would feel stupid about later.<br>"You didn't know me at all. That was... painful."  
>"I'm sorry." Valkyrie whispered again, she had frozen as he spoke his words. She didn't even know this man, but she didn't know anything about herself. How was she meant to process what was happening to her? She wasn't going to ignore someone who seemed to be helping her. It could be a trap, it was clear she lived in the world of magic and nightmares. And she definitely didn't want to end up walking through those woods on her own. Fuck that.<br>"You don't have to apologise for anything. But I do. I let this happen to you. I couldn't stop that bottle hitting you but I should have. I owe you the apology, Valkyrie."

Valkyrie was anxious as to what was going to happen next, she didn't dare move in case she set off a chain reaction. Skulduggery's gaze was burning into her, she could see the guilt and pain confined behind his eyes.  
>"I'm so truly sorry for what has happened to you. Everything has been my fault. But I will fix it." Valkyrie took a few moments to find her voice which she had apparently swallowed a few minutes back.<p>

"Thank you for saying sorry Skulduggery but there is really no need. I have no clue what happened to me, or whose fault it was. So until I get my memory back, I am reserving judgement." She wanted to lighten the mood a little and show Skulduggery she didn't blame him for anything. Valkyrie couldn't deny that even though she didn't know Skulduggery she felt safe in his presence. There was something about the way he looked at her.

"On the matter of getting my mushed up brain fixed, I would love your help. Got any plans on that?" She smiled at him broadly and was relieved when he gave her a genuine, if small smile back.  
>"I'll get Kenspeckle to run some tests on you tomorrow, if you're ok with that?"<br>"Yeah that's fine, as long as I don't get probed or anything." Watching Skulduggery's expression change caused her to realise her tone wasn't exactly light. A stray thought had occurred to her. Skulduggery seemed content with her which could mean that she was acting a lot like her old self. But who was that? If she got her memories back would she cringe at the way she had behaved. Was she the type to let some random man hold her while nightmares tormented her sleep? The words came out of her mouth but her mind was elsewhere until his startled face brought her crashing back down.

The laughs came so naturally and uncontrollably. She was so mentally fragile she was on red alert most of the time and it was like a weight had been lifted from her chest when she could muster the energy to laugh. Momentarily forgetting about the empty cavern inside of her. Skulduggery stared at her as she pulled back in order to give herself more room to laugh. She swore she detected a hint of a smirk then his façade was turned off and his face melted away, taking his flesh body with him. She started laughing harder. Not because she was laughing at herself anymore, she couldn't even remember what she had said, but the imprint of Skulduggery's surprised face was still startling in the forefront of her mind.

Skulduggery rolled Valkyrie over so she landed face first into the pillows. Muffled giggles could be heard despite the only thing in Skulduggery's view being the back of her head.  
>"Bedtime for you. You need to rest." Skulduggery said getting up off the bed and turning to watch Valkyrie roll over, still baring a wide grin.<br>"Ok. I do feel better actually. Thank you." Skulduggery bowed his head to her.  
>"Would you like me to stay?"<br>"No, no. You go and sleep too. You don't need to babysit me all night." She saw him tilt his head as if he was smiling.  
>"If you need me, I will be just across the landing."<p>

His hand was a moment away from opening the door, the light from the landing streamed in when he cracked it ajar.  
>"Do you sleep?" Valkyrie asked curiously stopping him in his tracks.<br>"I meditate, which puts me in a sleep like state." He replied pausing in case she had any more questions.  
>"Do you dream?"<br>He stood their silently for a moment. "Sometimes."  
>"Are they good or bad?" She probably sounded nosey but she wanted to know if everyone was plagued with horrors visiting their dreams and if that was really the life she had led and was heading back to. She didn't want to admit it but her old life terrified her. More than waking up to a skeleton. Especially one with a sultry voice and a dress sense to die for. A man in a suit always was one of her crushes.<br>"Sometimes both."  
>"Don't plague me with the details." Valkyrie answered sarcastically but sensed Skulduggery didn't really want to talk about it. She smiled and settled down in the covers hoping to show she wasn't going to pester him with more.<br>"Maybe when you are more yourself and are able to laugh at my expense."  
>Thankfully, she hadn't annoyed him, it seemed. She nodded and Skulduggery left the room after quietly wishing her a good night.<br>Her world was dark and silent again. It took her hours to fall asleep. For someone with no memories, she did a considerable amount of thinking.

The roar of a motorcycle could be heard in the distance. One bright headlight came from the dark and travelled down Cemetery Road. Tanith killed the engine when she pulled up outside Skulduggery's house, she flicked the stand out and walked to the front door.

Tanith waited a short while after knocking before the door opened, she looked upon the friend who used to be a monster. Or was he a monster who used to be a friend? The one who slaughtered thousands including her fiancées mother.  
>"I'm only here because you said it was urgent." Tanith grumbled. She passed through the door when Skulduggery gestured for her to enter.<br>"I appreciate it greatly, Tanith." She dropped her helmet on one of the sofas and turned to Skulduggery.  
>"You killed Ghastly's Mum." It sounded like she was waiting for him to deny it all of a sudden.<br>"I know."  
>"You were Lord Vile for all those years."<br>"I was." It wasn't a question but he replied anyway. Surprisingly Tanith came when he called, she probably wanted the chance to see him so she could speak her mind.  
>"How on earth could you keep a secret like that for so long?" She asked desperately.<br>"I wanted to forget what I did, but I couldn't. My friends wouldn't accept me or forgive me, quite rightly."  
>"So you took that choice away from us." She turned on him suddenly remembering she had another bone to pick with him. "And can I just ask," she said in that cocky, British accent of hers. "What the hell you were playing at when you left us to deal with that creepy, weirdo girl? She took on all of us and we nearly lost. If it wasn't for her having a crazed panic attack and running off I don't think any of us would have got out of that with all our limbs." She huffed, out of breath.<p>

"I had to go after Mevolent, Tanith. He brought that girl to distract us but I couldn't let him get away. She left the fight with you when Mevolent was attacked by beastly dogs from the Caves of the Void. She must have sensed he was in trouble."  
>Skulduggery explained calmly to Tanith. Her face didn't want to accept his words but it seemed her mind won over when her face softened.<br>"We almost died. A minute later and she would have killed us all. Whatever you did to Mevolent or tried to do, was it worth it?"  
>"Yes."<p>

It was probably because there was no hesitation after her question that Tanith suddenly looked like she had the hump. It was obvious she was expecting some kind of remorse from Skulduggery, but to no avail.  
>"Was it worth lying to the people who love you?" The guilt trip was coming hard and fast.<br>"Tanith I know you are angry and upset. You want answers or an explanation, but I didn't call you here to talk about this."  
>"Well we are damn well going to." Tanith insisted, she was proud her voice came out as stern as it did.<br>"No Tanith, we are not." Tanith's insides recoiled at Skulduggery's frightening tone.  
>"I think I have Valkyrie back. I can't be sure and there are still a few kinks but-"<br>"Valkyrie's back?" Tanith's tone dropped as did her jaw.  
>"There are a few gaps in her memory." Tanith's eyebrow rose at Skulduggery.<br>"And by that you mean..."  
>"She can't remember anything."<br>"What the hell happened?"  
>"It's a long story."<br>"I want to see her." Tanith crossed her arms defiantly in case Skulduggery tried to deny her access to her friend. Surprisingly Skulduggery didn't hesitate in leading her upstairs to Valkyrie's room.

Kenspeckle Grouse was already in the room, his shimmering projection from his Echo Stone that floated around in his pocket was the only light source, apart from a scattering of tiny lights from his many machines.

He was conducting tests on Valkyrie whilst she slept. Skulduggery had told Tanith on their walk to the first floor that they had only just begun testing due to Valkyrie only just falling asleep. Skulduggery had refused to wake her, Grouse knew it was because of the dark purple half-moons below her closed eyes.

"My God. Is that really Valkyrie? No Darquesse?" Tanith blurted out her questions as she ran over to Valkyrie's bed and stopped by her side. She looked over the girl, a pang went off in her constricted chest. She looked just the way she imagined early twenties Valkyrie would look like. She just hoped by now they would be having girly weekends away and Valkyrie would be helping her plan her wedding as the head bridesmaid.

She didn't dare to let herself hope.

"I have performed every neurological test, both scientifically and magically," Grouse stepped forward pulling the blankets that had ended up under Tanith's arse forcing her up off the bed and laid them more fully over Valkyrie, he tutted in disapproval before he continued.  
>"There is no sigh of another entity inside her mind. She is alone in there now. The Angel's Blood seems to have washed out Darquesse completely. Unfortunately that goes for every ability she has ever learnt or mastered since Darquesse took control too."<br>"What are you saying?" Tanith scowled folding her arms. "That she's not only memory less but powerless too. How is that possible? How can that even happen? What the hell!"

Grouse paused at her little outburst. "I'm saying since Darquesse was in sole control even as she was pulled from Valkyrie, she took hold of everything and it went with her. I'm not sure what Valkyrie will be left with. Darquesse could have taken her life too. Now that she is gone we can't hope to find out that way."  
>"Well we have to do something. I'm not just going to leave her like this." Skulduggery could sense her agitation, he could also sense Grouse's as her voice continued to get louder.<br>"Tanith," Skulduggery said snapping her out of her rant. He motioned for her to follow him outside. "Quick before he kicks us out the door."

Skulduggery turned to face Tanith. "You can't tell anyone about this. Especially Ghastly."  
>"What? "Why not?" Tanith blurted defiantly.<br>"Mevolent saw what happened to Darquesse. There's a very good chance that Mevolent thinks she is dead. We have to keep to the illusion of that to protect Valkyrie or he will go after her."  
>"Why can't I tell Ghastly?"<br>"Ghastly is emotionally compromised at the moment. With I being the reason he may not be too inclined to help me."  
>"He may not want to help you but he wouldn't refuse to help Valkyrie just to spite you."<br>"I know. But I have to take every precaution to protect her. Tanith do I have your word that you will tell no-one?" Begrudgingly Tanith agreed.  
>"I can't believe you are making me lie to Ghastly."<br>"It's not a lie, just withholding the truth."  
>"Is that what you would tell your wife?"<p>

Tanith's attempt to shame Skulduggery was in vain. He simply gave her a cold lifeless look before glazing over her dig. Her mouth opened to presumable resume the conversation but Skulduggery just stalked past her without so much as a word, as if she didn't exist anymore.

Tanith took a few minutes to calm herself down and regain some control over her mouth. She never intended to be so harsh towards Skulduggery, not on the subject of his wife anyway, but her loyalty to Ghastly was overwhelming. The pain she was seeing him go through, he was a picture of death warmed up when she left in the early hours of the morning.

Skulduggery had gone back into Valkyrie's room half an hour ago, now Tanith felt she was stable enough to go in without ending up in a screaming fit.

The morning was bleak, a thick greying fog was dense as it lowered itself over the rooftops of the town. Tanith made her way to Valkyrie's room, she hoped she would be awake by now. No one had called her but it was mid-morning and she had to leave with more answers than questions or there was no chance she was going to be able to keep this secret from Ghastly.

As she approached the door she could hear voices from the other side. She opened the door just as Grouse lightly tapped Valkyrie's curious fingers, reaching to fiddle with yet another set of tubing for his machine away.

"What?" Valkyrie yelped amused at her grumpy, old carer. "I just want to know what that weird, bleeping box thingy is." Valkyrie said from the bed Grouse was forcing her to lay in. It had been pushed to the centre of the room so Grouse could easily manoeuvre around her and circle her with his equipment. It was the only reason Grouse could huff out that Skulduggery then allowed him to move such things.

Grouse was stood at the top of the bed adjusting the tubes on Valkyrie's chest, or was at least attempting to until Valkyrie became bored and started to fidget with his instruments once again.

"Valkyrie." Grouse scolded, stopping what he was doing so he could turn his full frontal pissed-off gaze at her. "Even if you had your memories and had all the knowledge of magic and sorcery like you used to, if I explained to you what that weird beeping box thingy did, you still wouldn't understand or care. So keep still and let me finish my tests. "

Skulduggery saw her smile as Grouse huffed and started fiddling with her wires again. He was glad to know she still didn't take Grouse's grumpiness to heart. It was like she knew how to read him already. Valkyrie looked up and gave them a cheeky smirk when she finally realised the two people at the door. They both stopped by her bedside.

Tanith made herself comfortable in the chair beside. "Hi, I'm Tanith. We're friends." She was so desperate for Valkyrie to believe her, she had missed her and she had taken it hard.

"I know, Skulduggery explained as much as he could about my life this morning." Valkyrie said letting her attention rest on this tussle haired beauty. How did she end up friends with people like this?  
>"So you know we became friends when you first discovered magic and you became like a sister to me."<br>"Something along those lines, yes."  
>"She already has a sister, Tanith." Grouse interrupted, Tanith scowled at him over her shoulder.<br>"I know. But I was here first." She turned back to Valkyrie giving her an amused smirk.  
>"Ignore him. And by the way I love your sister. She is adorable. Well she used to be. Definitely a Daddy's girl, just like you."<p>

Valkyrie couldn't get too excited for these people, they were unknown to her, and she was finding it hard to fake the enthusiasm but she had met with no upset or offence. Everyone who knew her seemed to understand perfectly her position and was not forceful or pushy in any way. She was secretly relieved for that.

"How are you feeling?" Tanith asked, she was trying to act normal around her but until she was convinced she wasn't Darquesse, she didn't want to be caught off guard.  
>"I have a headache but other than that and the fact I can't remember my entire life, I'm fine."<br>Tanith didn't believe her, she could tell. She had seen the light drain from her face and now Tanith's eyes were fixated on her.  
>"What is it?"<br>"It's just," Valkyrie searched through the scrambles of words in her head to try and convey to the others how she was feeling, but it all sounded so pathetic when she said it to herself. She didn't know what she was walking into. "You talk about my family and you would think if I really was close to them, memory or not, that I would feel... something."

She ignored the concerned grimace that crossed Tanith's face and that the entire room had gone deathly quiet except for her own voice. Her eyes were stuck to her lap, she felt like a ton was resting on the back of her neck making it impossible to raise her head and meet their faces.  
>"You talk about my sister," she continued knowing full well her face was hot and her palms had gone sweaty. "And my Dad but I remember nothing. I feel nothing." Valkyrie felt the others exchange glances out of the corner of her vision.<p>

"Both of you need to leave for now." Grouse commanded breaking the silence. "I have a few more tests for Valkyrie and then her mind and body need to rest and regain their strength." Grouse then turned from Skulduggery to speak to Valkyrie directly. "If my results carry any news be assured I will inform you promptly." Valkyrie gave him a weak smile, the most she could muster at the moment, before sagging into the comfortable sheets and warm blanket. She let Grouse work as sleep took her over.

"Do you really think she is Valkyrie again?" Tanith wasn't sure what to believe herself.  
>Skulduggery had accommodated her with a meal for tea. It was only a leftover frozen pizza but she was starved, and not so picky. She was amazed after her empty stomach made itself known that Skulduggery actually had some food in the house. She knew Saskia didn't stay over as much as Valkyrie used to.<p>

Devouring the sweet chili pizza, one of hers and Valkyrie's favourite topping, slice by slice at the dining table. Skulduggery was sat in a chair opposite watching in disgust. Grouse was hovering by the far wall, having finished his tests, he was just waiting for the results to be processed. Grouse had wished he had taken longer in doing so after seeing the image of Tanith scoffing down food with cheese hanging from her chin as soon as he walked in.

"I do." Replied Skulduggery without hesitating.  
>"I do too." Grouse agreed. "But I will have to wait for my test results before I can confirm anything... That might take a while."<br>"How long is a while?" Skulduggery questioned.  
>"A few days. In the meantime." Grouse continued before he was criticised by the skeleton. "It might be a good idea to take her to places that she held dear to jog her memory. It will do her no good being cooped up in that room." Skulduggery tilted his head in thought as a glaze of confusion washed over Tanith's face.<p>

"If her parents didn't make her remember, or even Skulduggery why would places do the trick?"  
>"You only mentioned her parents, she only has other people's descriptions to go off. Any specific place has its own smells and sounds, touches and atmospheres. Anyone of these things can trigger lost memories." Grouse explained. Tanith tried to look like she was convinced, then she looked to Skulduggery, dropping her <em>'I kind of understand' <em>act.  
>"It's our first step." Skulduggery answered her unsaid request for his thoughts. "It's too early to reintroduce her to her parents. Her favourite and most familiar places are the perfect way to start."<p>

"Could she still be Darquesse though?" Tanith was more unsettled then Skulduggery had originally thought. His mind was also being niggled at by the voice that said he was ridiculously gullible for believing her act.  
>"I want to believe it's her. Speaking to her I feel like it's just like the good old times, even though it was a brief conversation and she was a bit depressing." She let out a huge sigh, flopping her head down on the table. "But I'm afraid the moment I let myself believe completely is the moment Darquesse pops out screaming <em>'fooled you'<em>."  
>"I share your worries, Tanith. But I have to believe it's her and I'll be watching for any sighs of Darquesse. But in my opinion, Darquesse is gone."<br>"I still stand by my results... Once I get them." Grouse pitched in. Tanith looked between both imitations of men and nodded.  
>"Ok. So where are you going to take her?"<br>"It's obvious isn't it?" Skulduggery cocked his head at her.  
>"No it isn't." She objected immediately.<br>"Gordon's Mansion." Skulduggery told her. She had to nod in agreement. In reality, it was obvious.

"We should wait for Valkyrie to wake up, and then explain everything to her. If she agrees we can be at Gordon's by evening." Skulduggery announced as he stood from his chair.  
>"Actually," Tanith started sheepishly. "I should probably go and talk to Ghastly." She quickly continued when his posture changed immediately. "Don't worry I'm not going to tell him. But I have to tell him something to explain where I have been. And where I will be when I meet you at the Mansion." Grabbing her coat from the wood frame of her chair, she swung her arms into it easily.<br>"Thanks for the food. I'll see you at Gordon's later." She left with a wave to them both. There were still silent minutes after the roar of Tanith's motorcycle had disappeared into the distance.  
>"Valkyrie will wake up in a few hours, when the drugs wear off. I put some of my own remedies into her IV fluids. She should awaken feeling refreshed and clear minded. Considering." Grouse explained as Skulduggery sat back down in his chair.<p>

When he heard no reply, Grouse scrutinized him curiously. "Are you feeling guilty?" He didn't sound like he was taunting or being smug, the doctor's question was genuine and could almost be mistaken for concern for a friend. Grouse wasn't insulted when yet again he went unanswered. "Tanith may have been right when she said neither you nor her parents had managed to bring back Valkyrie's memories, but look how you got her here. You didn't have to force her."

Grouse was staring directly at Skulduggery as he tried to convey to the man he rarely liked his true thoughts, which for once were not disapproving of his behaviour.  
>"She trusts you. It is clear to see. I believe deep down she remembers the feeling of being around you. She trusted you to bring her here safely. You did just that."<p>

Skulduggery was still gazing into the distance, one arm laid on the armrests either side of him. His focus had never shifted to Grouse throughout the time he had been speaking.  
>"I know you are probably blaming yourself, but on this very rare occasion I am saying it's not entirely your fault. You shouldn't beat yourself up, but concentrate more on helping the girl. Skulduggery turned his head to meet him.<p>

"I will fix her. I will find a way. And I will protect her while I do it. You can be assured of that." Grouse nodded as if he was satisfied Skulduggery wasn't going to sit there and sulk for hours then left him to himself. Nothing else needed to be said and Grouse believed the skeleton's every word.

The cocoon of warm toastiness around her toes and legs, mixed with the cool, soft pillowcase hugging her cheek made Valkyrie not want to move or in fact get out of the bed for the rest of the day, when she slowly woke from her slumber. She felt like she had slept for days already, like her energy was dancing under her skin ready to be released. She knew her body felt so much better for it. She was enjoying her bubble of perfection and wanted to savour it for as long as possible. Then thoughts of Skulduggery crossed her mind. And her last ones before she had finally drifted off the night before made her blush just thinking about them.

"You're awake." A velvety voice startled her from behind.  
>"How did you know?" Valkyrie jolted and wheezed as her body recovered from the shock. She wondered why he was in her room, sat like he belonged in the fancy armchair in the corner of the room, casually like he had no care in the world.<br>God, what if he saw all the blushing?  
>"The snoring stopped." He replied. Valkyrie laughed sitting up to face him more whilst trying to flatten down her chaotic hair. Then she realised what he said and scowled whole heartedly.<br>"Shut up. I don't snore!"  
>"Don't be embarrassed. It was rather cute." Valkyrie's expression changed from mild annoyance to slight worry.<br>"Are you joking? Do I really snore?"  
>"I'm joking." Skulduggery said. Valkyrie was physically relieved. That lasted for about a second. "About it being cute. It's actually quite a racket."<p>

Valkyrie aimed to look mockingly offended and sought revenge by throwing a pillow at Skulduggery's skull.  
>"That was rude." She made no attempt to apologise but caught the pillow that was thrown back into her hands.<br>"How did you sleep?" Asked Skulduggery, changing the subject slightly.  
>"I slept ok. This bed is really comfy." Skulduggery held her gaze and she was certain he could see right through her.<br>"You know I had another nightmare last night, don't you?"  
>"I'm accustomed to your nightmare face. You had them frequently before, but they are nothing to worry about. When you live in the world of magic it becomes the norm. I doubt you will find a sorcerer alive today who hasn't experienced their fair share of frightening dreams."<p>

"So... What do you have nightmares about?" Valkyrie asked attentively propping her head on her elbow.  
>"Losing my hat."<br>"Losing your hat?"  
>"Yes, it's very dear to me."<br>"Why? Is it your only one or did someone special give it to you or something?"  
>"Oh no. I have a hat for every suit. But they are all precious to me. All were made by my best friend and tailor, Ghastly Bespoke."<br>"Yeah you mentioned him yesterday, but I thought you said people go by their taken names, that they choose themselves."  
>"They do."<br>"So why did he pick a name like that? Ghastly means revolting right?"  
>"But Bespoke means specially made and tailored to an excellent standard."<br>"Are all names as interesting as that?"  
>"Some of them are quite colourful, yes."<p>

"What about your wife what was she called?" Valkyrie hadn't thought about the impact of her question before the words spilt out of her mouth. "I'm sorry." Hurriedly she tried to retract her sentence. "I just meant did she have the same last name as you or did she have her own. But you don't have to tell me, I'm sorry I overstepped."

Valkyrie managed to hurl herself to the bathroom before she felt more guilty, stupid and desperate for asking him that question. Skulduggery had said nothing but there was no way he was happy with her asking him personal questions like that. She turned on the shower so he wouldn't get the idea that she was sulking in the bathroom and have him coming in after her. She stripped and started to soak her hair under the heavy spray.

How was this possible? She still felt embarrassed but she couldn't stop thinking that it wasn't because she might have hurt his feelings but that she didn't want him to think anything bad of her. Was she seriously forming a crush on a skeleton? And yes he could have a flesh body when he wanted to but it was mere days since they met. For her anyway so maybe it wasn't as weird for him. When she spoke to him she was giddy and dizzy like a crush, but she was obviously reading way too much into it. Finding reasons for his caring behaviour where it's extensively exaggerated in her mind.

After she had spent at least forty minutes showering herself she grabbed a towel to wrap around her from the built in dresser in the corner and peeked around the door. Thank God the room was empty. Valkyrie swore under her breath when it dawned on her that she had got into the shower without thinking about what she was going to wear afterwards. If there were no more clothes in the room she was doomed, she would never be able to walk downstairs in a only towel and risk Skulduggery seeing her in it, never mind asking him for clothes. Putting back on her old clothes that were currently scattered across the bathroom floor didn't interest her one bit.

Choosing to look in the chest of drawers first she was pleasantly surprised when the top draw was filled with underwear and rolled up pairs of socks. There were a few different style bras in the corner, all her size, or looked it anyway. None of them smelt musty. Skulduggery had told her she had a room here for when she was too tired to go home but she never thought it would still be packed with presumably her stuff.

She took a pair of black socks and underwear set without hesitating. She figured if Skulduggery and her were so close as he said, then it would make sense for her to have a room at his house. So that implied the clothes were hers anyway. She couldn't imagine Skulduggery putting her in a different room if there was one she used to regularly use.  
>She hoped she was right and not about to put on someone else's knickers.<p>

Once she had her delicates on, she dry rubbed her hair until it was barely damp and not dripping cold dribbles of water down her back. Next she went to the mahogany wardrobe, her logic proving correct, that it would hold the two major elements of a full attire, tops and trousers.

The doors opened to a railing inside tightly packed with black and navy trousers, t-shirts and soft jumpers varying in colour and style with the last quarter taken up by several, varying in length, leather jackets. Well they looked leather but when Valkyrie ran her fingers from shoulder to sleeve she couldn't quite name the material. It felt familiar but nothing sprang to mind as of its name. Each item had its own unique tailoring.

Maybe this Ghastly person was her tailor too. All the clothes seemed to be made by the same person. When she chose a reasonable dark coloured long sleeved top and woolly jumper to beat the chill she noticed the black pants were keeping her legs perfectly warm. The jacket she chose was the one that stood out the most. The darkest of blacks, crimson sleeves, it fitted her to her exact shape. Her own skin wouldn't have fit her better.  
>Finding a brush after rummaging through her bedside tables she combed through her hair, ridding herself of knots. Her hair was quite long finishing at her waist. She had to pull it over her shoulder to comb the tips. She wondered if Skulduggery would take her to get it trimmed, at least it would be more manageable.<p>

Wondering down the hallway to the stairs, she heard no-one. Even downstairs there was silence. She started to feel nervous. Worried that she had been left in the house alone, she hurried to the front room and peaked through the curtains to make sure the Bentley was stilled parked on the drive. Her mouth had gone dry, her heart stopped beating and then she saw the shiny black structure of the car still stationary in front of the house. She took a moment to think how happy she was now that she knew Skulduggery was still there. She felt terrible over how she had acted, not just the inappropriate questions but running away like she did.

When Valkyrie entered the dining room, a strong smell of lemon hit her nose. She couldn't place the feelings that were surging through her at the sight of Skulduggery hovering over a frying pan, expertly making pancakes for her. She hoped they were for her. Skulduggery was stood in his white shirt and blue tie, his jacket was nowhere to be seen, neither was his hat. Of course he wouldn't want oil splashing back onto his pristine clothes.

He flipped the pancake and the underside looked perfectly cooked. She couldn't help smiling at the sight of him in his white apron to avoiding any staining.  
>"I hope you're hungry." He called jollily as she approached him.<br>"Yeah, I'm starving. Where did you learn to cook?" She asked sceptically as he shovelled the pancake from the pan onto a stack already waiting at the side.  
>Valkyrie could see the table was already set with one place mat, cutlery with a vast array of condiments for her to pick from. Skulduggery looked at her once he placed his spatula in the sink. "I used to cook for you all the time. I was tired of you eating junk food so I took it upon myself to make sure you had healthy home cooked meals once in a while."<p>

"Pancakes are healthy?" She said as she sat down. Skulduggery removed his apron and carried the plate of pancakes to the table, he took the place opposite her.  
>"This is a rare treat."<br>"So I shouldn't get used to it?" She giggled but it came out more of a cough due to the mass amount of pancake she had just scoffed in there.  
>"When you get your memory back I will cook them again for you."<br>"Ah, bribing me with sugary goodness as a motivational technique."  
>"Exactly."<p>

Valkyrie finished her plate, Skulduggery stayed silent so she didn't have to stop eating. She did look hungry.  
>"Any news on my defective brain?" She joked.<br>"Grouse said his results will take a day or two to come back. He suggested taking you to places from your life. It may help." Skulduggery went quiet. Something was wrong.  
>"I think that's a good idea. Have you got a place in mind?"<br>"I'm taking you to your house."  
>"What with my Mum and Dad there?" She was suddenly reluctant to go.<br>"You misunderstand," he continued picking up on her strained tone. "I'm not taking you to your parent's house. I'm taking you to _your_ house."

"This house belongs to me?" Valkyrie's jaw had dropped and hit the dashboard once they had come over the bridge and through the gates, bringing her Mansion into view.  
>"Yes it does." Skulduggery answered. He had a chime to his voice like he was enjoying her reaction immensely.<br>"Are you serious?" She squealed.  
>"It belonged to your Uncle, Gordon Edgerly. He was a bestselling horror novelist and as you can see from his estate, he became quite well off."<br>Valkyrie was astonished. It was like walking into someone else's life. Skulduggery had mentioned he and Gordon were good friends. "You inherited it when he died along with his assets and future royalties. It was how we first met."

Skulduggery parked the Bentley in front of the Mansion and walked to the front door.  
>"Tell me about it." She wanted him to answer her there on the doorstep so she could get lost in his voice. A tingly feeling would stir within her when she heard him talk about her as fondly as he did. Valkyrie was about to urge him to continue when his posture changed. She instantly read it as alarm and started to panic.<p>

"What is it?" She whispered.  
>"Someone else is here." He replied. Her blood started churning through her veins. Skulduggery took her wrist and gently pulled her closer and moved her so she was behind him, he then started making his way, revolver in hand through the front door.<br>Valkyrie wished this wasn't the first time she had observed Gordon's interior decoration. The gothic horror themes sent a shiver to her gut as they crept through the Mansion searching for the intruder.

How Skulduggery could tell there was someone inside whilst stood outside the front door was impressive, but he was probably using his powers, elemental as he told her, then really that was cheating. She was finding it extremely difficult not to panic and flip out every time a human shaped figure popped out from the dark. Then she would get closer and discover it was just a hat stand or a funny shaped vase that was just taunting her.

The only thing that prevented her from running around like a mental fuck screaming until her lungs gave out was Skulduggery's hand firmly pressed on her lower back keeping her glued to his side while he led them upstairs.  
>The house was dark considering it was late afternoon. Most windows had thick velvet curtains drawn closed over them to prevent any fading to furniture from the sun steaming in every day.<p>

Valkyrie made a mental note to ask Skulduggery why, if this was her house did it look like it hadn't been lived in for years. But there was no dust anywhere on the woodwork or lingering in the air, or caught in the corners of the ceilings.

They got to the top of the stairs and Valkyrie ended up confused as to why they had stopped. A dim twinkling light could be seen under the door at the far end of the landing if she squinted. The light was easy to miss if Skulduggery hadn't drawn her attention to it. She followed him quietly to the door, he listened at the frame before opening it. It seemed he already knew who was in there by the way he tucked his revolver away and let go of her.

Skulduggery opened the door into what she could only think was a study. Stood by the bookcase amongst the gloom, flicking through a tatty and battered paperback was the most impossibly looking man. She understood now, where the gloomy light was coming from. She had seconds to take in his form, his stiff top hat that leaked its midnight colour into his glossy black hair. His hat was the slightest shade darker than his suit, complete with studded waistcoat and crisp black shirt.

Valkyrie could see his transparent skin and how tiny pink and blue neon stripes of light, like glow bugs, zipped over his muscles.  
>"I've been waiting for you." The glowing man started, but cut himself off when his pale translucent eyes landed on her dumbfounded face.<br>"It's true." Clyro announced quietly, more to himself than anyone.  
>"What's true?" Valkyrie questioned after throwing Skulduggery a shaken up glance. Skulduggery wasn't behaving like the stranger before them was a threat. That was a small comfort, she would just cling to Skulduggery throughout this entire ordeal and only then will she rise from the ashes.<p>

"Darquesse is gone." Clyro answered with his eyes glued to Valkyrie.  
>"How did you know?" Skulduggery asked. Valkyrie had sensed his posture change around this new person, his voice was slightly different too. She couldn't quite put her finger on how.<br>"We are linked remember. I felt her slip away the moment it happened. I just couldn't be sure what was left in her place."  
>"So you can't sense Darquesse at all. Not even as an untethered entity."<br>"Not a glimmer. How did you do it?"

They were talking as if she wasn't even there and since she didn't know, she felt obliged to ask.  
>"Who's Darquesse?" Quickly glancing between the skeleton and the creep.<br>"You haven't told her? How on earth did you think you were going to get round that?" The stranger chortled.

Confusion came to mind on how he knew something was up with her memory. He realised she wouldn't know who Darquesse was. Yeah, who the hell was she?  
>"How do you know that about me?" She cut in.<br>"I hear things. But I couldn't be sure until I saw you. Clyro Noir, since he probably didn't tell you about me either." Clyro dropped the book as if suddenly uninterested and began to give her this sickening look up and down her body.

"Since the great Skeleton Detective has neglected to tell you, I'll do his dirty work." Clyro's boots lightly patted the wood flooring as he came to stand in front of her. He was taller than Skulduggery and therefore towered over her.

"Darquesse is the most unhinged sorcerer. One minute you are there, the next you are dead. Knowing her true name makes her able to do pretty much anything. Invincible some would call it. Helpful when you're a sadistic psycho with more power than the average fictional superhero. She could flatten the world within hours, and she my dear... Is you."

Valkyrie gulped when Clyro bent down to her level. His sinister eyes pinned her where she stood.  
>"The most evil, treacherous person I have ever been in the company of and she is you, Valkyrie."<br>"That's enough." Skulduggery's voice made Clyro do a double take to see if he was actually serious. The intimidation Skulduggery cast towards him registered on his face, before it was replaced with a toying smirk.

"Nonsense. Valkyrie needs to know this, so she can at least evaluate her own self-worth. You see Valkyrie," he said rallying back to her. "You were prophesied to destroy this tiny world and everything in it. Everyone you love will just go poof with a click of Darquesse's fingers. I'm impressed the skeleton actually managed to separate you two. Although, I doubt it will be for long, Darquesse is too unpredictable. She will find a way to get back into your body. Or one that won't burn out."  
>"I don't think so. Darquesse is gone."<br>"You sound pretty sure of yourself." Clyro cackled, glancing at the skeleton, his stance projected his beliefs. That he was right, Darquesse was gone. If Skulduggery had anything to do with it, she would stay gone.  
>"Perhaps I do."<p>

Clyro's lips briefly parted as words started to spill, but his face turned sour when Skulduggery waved his hand disregarding his comments before he had even made them. Clyro silently fumed as Skulduggery turned to Valkyrie. She tried to hide the volcano that was about to burst inside her. She passed it off with a slight smile, pretending that she was fine in Skulduggery's mist, but truthfully... She was hurt... And angry.

"What are you doing here anyway, Clyro?"  
>"After Darquesse and I were trapped in the underground tunnels, thanks to China, we were chased by-"<br>"It was China who put you both down there?" Skulduggery's harsh tone cut the air like a slice to the throat. Valkyrie suddenly went tense as the atmosphere around her shifted. She nearly let herself look up at Skulduggery beside her, but she didn't want to get entangled in his angry stare. Valkyrie was trying everything possible to become invisible so she wouldn't be involved. Clyro felt the exact opposite as he openly grinned back at Skulduggery.

"China didn't tell you that? Can't say I'm surprised. But I am about you not being able to figure that out sooner. How did you think we got down there in the first place? After we had nearly been eaten for the twelfth time, Darquesse's idea was for me to come here and find something that would get her out."  
>"Why didn't she just go with you?"<br>"We got split up, it was a fleeting plan. She acted as a distraction so I could get away." Skulduggery mulled over his story. His head angled towards her.  
>"Do you want to stay here while I inform Grouse on what we have learnt?" She didn't think he was really giving her much of a choice. He was probably going to give this Clyro fellow a thorough going over. She nodded meekly without meeting his gaze.<p>

When they left, Valkyrie was left in silence again. The chills lapped at the edge of her being. The wonders on what her life was like, if what Skulduggery said was true, gave her a true headache. Was it right that she should want it to be true? Or was it utterly stupid? A puppet with so many strings but blind to the puppet master would surly perish at such a disadvantage. Who is truly good in the world to put a complete stranger before their own survival? Why would Skulduggery help her like he was if his ulterior motive, which he had yet to reveal she knew, was going to harm her in the end? She grumbled not allowing herself to dwell any longer, she just needed a break and so moved over to the bookcases.

The bookcases lined the wall and were completely over flowing with hundreds of book spines. Glancing over them she only stopped when the author's name was Gordon Edgerly. Her Uncles' books were the only selection with multiple copies lined next to each other, each pristine and new. She didn't want to ruin them so the desk seemed like a better idea. Sifting through the papers blanketing the desk, she found manuscripts that still looked fresh but definitely read.

She pulled the bulk of papers together, each numbered in the title page. She guessed they were numbered according to which was published first. The first three titles she thought her highly hilarious. Her favourite was _'Caterpillars._' She planned to start reading that one, have a glimpse into the writer through his award winning works, without looking at the fourth title but a nagging sensation wouldn't let her move on until she had read the name. She slid her fingers in-between the last set of sheets pinned together and flicked the top of the pages forward. Just enough to see the tops of the printed lettering. The black lines and dashes could have been any letter, there was no way to tell. But for one.

Doing it fast, she revealed the wording, _'And The Darkness Rained Upon Them.'_ Valkyrie cocked her eyebrow. How ironic she thought. There was no question now as to what story she was going to read. She started the novel, sitting back in the chair and tucking her feet in beside her.

Valkyrie was thoroughly entranced by the world her Uncle had created. Brilliant and funny yet touching and dark. And don't forget silly. Gordon's taste for unnecessary violence was classic. Never having realising it had got so dark, she was stunned to see the splashed midnight sky with the lunar glow of the moon clear in its domain.

Valkyrie jolted in her seat at a sudden knock on the door. Her spine stiffened until the voice confirmed his identity. Skulduggery was bloody good at scaring her.  
>"You found Gordon's novels?" He asked standing over her shoulder, she swivelled in her chair to face him.<br>"Yes. I was going to read _'Caterpillars'_ but then I found this one." She held up the front page of the ironically titled book. "Do you think Gordon knew?"  
>"No," Skulduggery answered after a slight pause. "But he was an incredibly intelligent author, especially when it came to magic. I wouldn't be surprised if he touched upon more things that could be viewed as a coincidence."<br>"He sounds great. I wish I could remember him."  
>"You can meet him if you want?"<p>

She sensed he could be trying to distract her from something. But from what? Asking too many questions that he wanted to keep secret. She thought she deserved to understand more on what was happening around her.  
>"First, I would like to know why you didn't tell me about Darquesse."<p>

At that moment Valkyrie went entirely numb at his plain stare. She wasn't an idiot and she was quickly discovering she didn't like being lied to. Skulduggery was supposed to be the one person she could trust. She was probably an idiot, for believing any of this stuff. Valkyrie noticed the way Skulduggery took in her defiant stance. He didn't look mad, but there was something, a hint of intrigue stationed on his skull.  
>"I didn't want to frighten you with that information."<br>"So when were you planning to tell me that I'm a monster?"  
>"Valkyrie, you are not a monster."<br>"If everything that guy said was true, then yes, yes I am."  
>"You and Darquesse were separate entities, you were not the same person and she is gone for good now."<br>"So why keep it hidden from me? Were you trying to gain my trust in order to kill me, just to make sure she didn't come back?"  
>"No."<br>"How can I believe anything you say?" The pleading look on her was pathetic, she knew that. The silence from the skeleton so close to her almost reduced her to tears. "I don't know what my life is anymore, but I know that I no longer want to be part of it."

Was it the end? Had she done it? Nearly bolting to the door, fully intending to leave things with Skulduggery like this, she was captured before she could move. An arm had struck out and gently blocked her from moving towards the exit.  
>"You're not safe out there Valkyrie."<br>His eye sockets burning into her, he was too intense to look at like this. But he wouldn't allow her ears not to hear his desperate rasp.  
>"I might not be safe here with you." She countered with her entire body growing increasingly tense. His skull moved closer, it angled down at her. Her pulse was racing from the confrontation already.<br>"I promised you I would protect you. I will forever keep to that."  
>"Just tell me the truth." Valkyrie whispered as a thumb lightly touched her cheek and stroked it softly. "That is all I want to know." Skulduggery was making her feel light headed, she had to close her eyes and plead to God that he couldn't hear her increased breathing.<p>

"The truth is... It will hurt you and cause you pain I was hoping to avoid. But I won't deny you your past, Valkyrie. I'll tell you everything."  
>"What is my past? How did I end up like this?"<br>"Darquesse has been in control for the past several years now. We have barely seen the cusp of people she has angered. If anyone out of this small select group sees you they will mistake you for her, and then you are in severe danger."  
>"If she is so bad why not just get rid of me? Save yourself all this trouble. I don't understand why you are helping me." She couldn't muster together his reasons or motivations.<br>"You are important to me. I will not sacrifice you to satisfy the fear over Darquesse." Losing herself in the words he had spoken, she felt herself melt inside.  
>"Would you like to meet Gordon now?" She nodded silently.<p>

Meeting Gordon was superb, Valkyrie was still mulling it over in her mind whilst Skulduggery drove them to the airport. Skulduggery hadn't told her much about where they were going, Russia was their destination however. Skulduggery had a friend who was a powerful sensitive and wanted to consult with them, if she was still around. Also he wanted to look at the place Darquesse resided in for quite some time, hoping it would give him a clearer image of what she had been up to.

An unsettling weight would rest upon her every time her mind was jogged of the presence of Clyro seated behind her.  
>"The flight will take several hours. Once we get there we collect my car I have waiting and then we can go and see the sensitive."<p>

Valkyrie focused on the yellow splashes of light sliding over Skulduggery's hat as they flew along the motorway under the lampposts.  
>"Why can't we use this car?" She asked.<br>"It would stand out and we need to be unnoticed. We must remain unseen by the Russian Sanctuary or they may assume  
>we are up to no good and attempt to retain us. If that happens we have no one to turn to."<br>"I am very familiar with a number of Russian cities and small villages, I would have no problem getting you through unnoticed," announced Clyro from the back seat. His information may have been beneficial but he was ignored anyway.

The flight to Russia was turbulent and freezing. The cargo jet they stalled upon was flying them over Europe and was in no way accommodating to Valkyrie's backside. Her belly was doing somersaults as the aircraft jolted her around. She cursed under her breath every time her head was knocked forcefully into the panelling next to her. Skulduggery didn't appear to be having too much trouble with staying still and Clyro was imitating a statue, crossed legged opposite her. Yanking her coat, she pulled it tighter around her to shield her chest from the icy breeze. She tucked her fingers under her arms to stop them becoming numb. Her breath came out as a mist in front of her face and she began to question what the hell she was doing.

"Tell me again why I am in this giant icebox." Valkyrie mumbled shivering in her seat, Skulduggery tilted his head in her direction.  
>"Because your memories are valuable and you want them back." He answered, a slight hint of amusement.<br>"And without them you are about as useless as a bunny in a sword fight." Clyro concealed his mockery badly.  
>"Are we there yet?" Ignoring Clyro's comments except to scowl at his face, Valkyrie directed her question at Skulduggery.<br>"We have a few more hours to go unfortunately." He replied.

Valkyrie huffed and sank back into her seat, the air chilling her to the bone. Having to endure the cold for a few more hours at least was depressing her mood.  
>"I'm cold." She mumbled to herself. She never expected Skulduggery to slid out of his coat and blanket it over her. The warmth increased around her, she snuggled into the soft material and couldn't help liking the smell. The smell of Skulduggery was nice, the fresh scent was overwhelming as she brought the fabric right up to her chin. Although how he had a smell she did not know. She hoped she would be able to sleep, if only for an hour, that was if she didn't get thrown out of her seat.<p>

Valkyrie was relieved when the plane finally descended onto a lit up runway and touched down heavily under the fog. The icy wind slapped her in the face the moment the side door was opened. She was continuously whipped as they snuck their way out and ran for cover.  
>"The car is beyond this fence." Skulduggery instructed keeping pace with her beside him. Valkyrie was still wrapped up in Skulduggery's coat, the wind pretty brutal. She was somewhat worried about Skulduggery's hat being snatched up by the air, but it seemed to be glued to his head. Skulduggery had his façade on so the thick brown locks were possibly helping.<br>Skulduggery's car wasn't far, parked inconspicuously in the airport car park. She was glad it was close by.

As they walked she noticed Skulduggery was wearing a different suit, he must have changed on the plane she thought. It was the darkest of black with thin white pinstripes. It suited his face. His face was nice. She glanced down, anxious he would realise that her eyes kept wondering over to him, she was still snuggly wrapped in his coat. The sleeves were too long but at least it was stopping the cold air freezing her fingers.  
>"Do you want your coat back?" She asked once they reached the car.<br>"Are you still cold?" He made a point of stopping before he got into the car and waited for her answer.  
>"Well, yes but it's your co-"<br>"Then keep it." Skulduggery pulled his coat tighter around her. She couldn't help the smile that grew due to his affection.

The car journey was short but Skulduggery whacked up the heaters so by the time they had parked Valkyrie was a lot warmer and Skulduggery had his jacket back. The streets were alien to her, the time just past ten, the night sky blotched with greying clouds and the threat of a down pour. She couldn't read any of the signs but Skulduggery seemed to navigate his way through the town without help. Skulduggery put his hand on the small of her back and guided them through the dimly lit roads. She was thankful he didn't take his hand away or she would have gone flying after slipping on the wet, cobbled pavement, which was more like a death trap. The rainfall had started and the quickly formed puddles were splashing up at her legs as she walked.

Skulduggery stopped outside a small, ram shackled building. The stone walls seeped the downpour that was now flattening Valkyrie's hair to her scalp. The lamppost overhead cast an orange glare over them making Skulduggery's features near impossible to see in the dark. His hand rose to knock on the door.

"Stop," she interrupted. "I'm not ready." Skulduggery brought his hand down and waited patiently. "I'm just scared that's all." She didn't want to admit it but it was written all over her face. "Can we go to Darquesse's place first?"  
>"Certainly." She sighed in relief. "Clyro, would you like to take the driver's seat?" Skulduggery asked digging the keys from his pocket.<br>"There's no need." Clyro revealed, waving his hand.  
>"Why not?" Skulduggery paused.<br>Clyro began walking before he answered. "Because it's not from here. Five minutes walking distance."  
>"What?" Skulduggery barked walking in sync with him.<p>

"Darquesse wanted a place near the building Valkyrie was kept in for so long so she could investigate. You will be able to see the derelict mess from where I am taking you." Clyro explained without the realisation as to Skulduggery's mood, unless he was secretly enjoying it.  
>Even Valkyrie had taken it upon herself to keep a few paces behind. Skulduggery's tone was menacing, a thought that maybe it was for her set off a tingle in her chest.<br>Skulduggery was still angry when Clyro led them to an end terrace. He took them around the back where the yard was surrounded by a high bricked wall. Clyro pulled out the key and took them inside.

The interior resembled a bunker. There were no comforts or luxuries, not a television or a settee. It really was the bare basics. Nothing even a thief would think worthy of taking. Valkyrie doubted there was even a bed upstairs. She hid her confusion, where all these artefacts were she couldn't tell, unless they were hidden in the walls.

Valkyrie watched Clyro stride to the centre of the room and tap his shoe twice on the concrete floor. A large section of the flooring dropped away like a trap door, showing steps descending into the unappealing. Walls, floor. She was near enough right.

Once all three were down there, Clyro turned on the lights as the closing of the trap door plunged then into the dark. Valkyrie was stunned at the size of it. The lower floor was huge and spread out under the row of terraced houses. This one building had basement space for the entire block. How greedy.

The room was simply full of... stuff. Piles and piles of books everywhere, all different sizes, some crusty and dust ridden. A few odd armchairs dotted around amongst the tables of gadgets and strange objects. Weapons lined the longest wall spreading so she couldn't even see the end of it. Pistols, machine guns, swords, daggers, machetes, strangely shaped ones she couldn't even name, some utterly terrifying to look at. Why someone so powerful needed all these weapons she didn't know. Valkyrie decided to stay away from that side of the room. She didn't want anything falling off and decapitating her, or slicing her in two.  
>Clyro gestured towards the room with indifference. "This is everything Darquesse acquired in the last couple of years. Take what you want." He turned to Valkyrie. "It all belongs to you anyway."<br>"Not if Darquesse acquired these possessions through stealing." Skulduggery interrupted.  
>"Trust me, the past owners won't come looking for their belongings. Unless they are the first in history to come back from the dead." Clyro remarked uncaringly. "So keep the good stuff and donate the rest." Clyro finished before planting himself down.<p>

Skulduggery began sifting through the objects on the closest table.  
>"And how exactly did she manage to gain all these things? See I know for a fact that," Skulduggery said as he picked up a soul catcher, "this was stolen from the Irish Sanctuary years ago."<br>"Yes it was. And that," Clyro pointed to another soul catcher located on the next table. "we got in San Francisco. The death touch gauntlet from London, the Soul Summoner from Australia and the poison extractor from Africa."  
>"Built up quite a collection of stolen goods, didn't you?"<br>"If we didn't, Mevolent would have gained them eventually. This was everything she could get before the Acid Battery did. Most of their missions she did beforehand or conducted her own counter mission simultaneously, so she could stash them here away from Silvo. That way he couldn't deliver them to his boss. So really, we did you a favour. And we saved you the trouble of cleaning up the mess if any of these were used against you." Clyro's face was smug.  
>"What other illegal activities did you two get up to?"<br>"To be honest, Darquesse had her own plan that she never explained to me in detail."  
>"Or you are pretending you don't know so I won't torture it out of you." Clyro gave Skulduggery a half-hearted smile.<br>"Maybe you should focus your energies on finding something useful."

Ignoring the standoff that was occurring, Valkyrie wondered down of the lanes the tables created, it was like a car boot sale with everything spread out on show. Reading the titles of a few books stacked up, Valkyrie found they were all on different types of magic, or the ones she could read anyway. Skulduggery had told her about the most common branches of magic, elemental, adept, necromancy. Others that weren't so common, sensitives and teleporter's. But all the books she could see were nothing like what he had told her.  
>One of the books wasn't even in a language she could understand, it didn't even look genuine. It wasn't letters or hieroglyphics, it was strange lines and curves, but it looked as if it was unfinished, parts missing. How could she tell? God knows.<p>

"Skulduggery," she called to draw his attention away from a black globe, about the size of a football with an elegantly painted map of the world in silver. "What language is this?" He replaced the globe back into its shiny, noir metal frame, and walked to her side. Skulduggery took the book from her hands and turned it over in his own. The hard back was covered in a layer of white dust. Skulduggery flicked his wrist and a gush of air swept it away.

Underneath, the cover was an interesting mix of leather and silk. The front didn't have a title but the aged crinkled pages inside were filled from top to bottom with the unknown language. Large gaps placed in seemingly random positions.  
>"I have no idea," Skulduggery admitted. Disappointed, Valkyrie returned to the book until Clyro's voice piped up in the background.<br>"Ah, I knew you would be drawn to that book." He bragged with smugness.  
>"Why?" Skulduggery commanded. Clyro took a second to glower at him for his tone.<br>"Because, as I believe it is the last book written by the Ancients."  
>Valkyrie felt a surge of excitement pass through her until she saw Skulduggery's still faced façade. She suddenly started to think it wasn't good news at all. Skulduggery placed the book on one of the free chairs.<br>"We can take it back and see if we can get it translated."

They spent over an hour searching through the intriguing room of magic, the puzzling things Darquesse had kept hidden away. By the end they had a big pile surrounding an armchair they were taking back. Skulduggery had found a small rectangular strip of metal, slate coloured about the length of a finger. Skulduggery told her it was some sort of truth teller. Once pressed against someone's skin, the temperature would change depending on whether they were being truthful. If they were the slate would go warm, if they were lying, it would go painfully cold.  
>"It can always come in handy." He had said, giving it to her to put in her pocket.<p>

Valkyrie had found a sea blue crystal tucked away in a trinket box. Clyro appeared at her shoulder the moment she opened the box. "That's pretty." He said starling her.  
>"Yes it's nice. What does it do?"<br>"It's for good dreams, keep it by you while you sleep and you will only dream good things. Extremely more effective than those silly straw dolls Cassandra has."  
>After the nightmares Valkyrie had been having, she felt slight relief at finding something that could stop them. She was fed up of them, nightmares she just knew in her old life affected her plenty. She hated waking up in a hot, sweaty state.<br>Valkyrie also picked out a set of simple knuckle dusters. With no powers she just wanted something to make her feel more secure.

Valkyrie was waiting for Skulduggery by the door, he was making his way through the last aisle after deciding they would head back before they left to pick everything they had collected up.  
>As Skulduggery got closer to where she waited she realised he was staring at her, growing slightly warm she pulled herself off the wall she was leaning on.<br>"What?" she asked now convinced there was something on her face.  
>"Behind you." Skulduggery replied.<br>Valkyrie turned around, saw a blank wall behind her and returned to look at him with a gawked expression on her face.  
>"It's a wall." She deadpanned.<br>Skulduggery quietly chuckled to himself before closing the gap between them. He lifted his arm so his palm was pressing against the wall beside her, effectively trapping her on one side.

She wondered if this was his strange way of getting close to her. Because he was incredibly close, his chest pretty much flat against her, fabric being the only barrier between them. His attractive face mere inches from hers. Those succulent lips parted slightly as she felt his body lean forward. The moment before she was about to close her eyes and go for it, Skulduggery swiped his hand down the wall, which she was in the way of and a symbol lit up where his fingers had just grazed.  
>"I knew it!" he yelled pulling back from her suddenly. Thankfully Skulduggery was more preoccupied with the hidden door revealing itself by sliding away to the staircase it concealed, than how flustered and hot she was. She pulled away her collar a few times to cool herself. Skulduggery spun and calling up the corridor to Clyro, she quickly composed herself.<p>

Clyro appeared at the door thanks to Skulduggery beckoning.  
>"What's in here?" Skulduggery yelled from the bottom of the secret staircase. Valkyrie hurried down after him, Clyro in her wake. "This was Darquesse's training ground." Clyro's chilling voice echoed into the room.<br>"What was she training?" Valkyrie asked.  
>"See for yourself."<br>Skulduggery forced his way through the rusted door at the end. Inside it had a vague resemblance to a gym but without any equipment. The only thing in the room was a large, white painted circle in the centre of the floor.  
>"I don't see anything for myself." Valkyrie quipped sarcastically.<br>"Cleavers." Skulduggery announced. "She was training cleavers."  
>"That's correct."<br>"So where are they?"  
>"I don't know. She never informed me as to where she took them. She favoured not keeping them here in case this place was found."<p>

Skulduggery knocked twice and they all waited patiently for the door to be opened. When it was, a beautiful woman with red waves to her waist and pink shell lipstick to contrast her bottle green eyes, stood there. The transfixing woman cast an intimidating glance upon them until Skulduggery withdrew his façade.

"Skulduggery," she greeted cheerily.  
>"Laguna Rose, nice to see you."<br>"It's more than nice. It's made my year. I've missed you a lot, it's been lonely here." She giggled, Valkyrie frowned. Even she could spot the obvious flirting. She silently started disliking the woman already.  
>"Does your sister not live with you anymore?" Skulduggery inquired as Laguna ushered them in off the street, by pulling on Skulduggery's arm while Valkyrie and Clyro were forced to enter last.<br>"No, she moved away."

Laguna started conversing with Skulduggery without even noticing Valkyrie, she didn't glance at her once. All her focus was on Skulduggery. She and Clyro could have been armed to the back teeth, here with Skulduggery to kill her and she still wouldn't have noticed their presence.

Valkyrie sideways glanced at Clyro to see if he had noticed, or if he indeed cared. He caught her eye and she knew he could immediately read her discomfort. Being around Laguna was doing nothing for her self-esteem. She was absolutely positive when he coughed loudly drawing attention to himself.  
>"Apologises for interrupting this touching reunion," his sarcasm so apparent in his voice that Laguna picked up on it immediately and frowned. She didn't interrupt.<br>"But we actually came here for a purpose. Not so you could flatter the skeleton to death."  
>Laguna's lips pursed into a line, her eyes narrowing, aiming her anger at his body in a stare. Valkyrie felt a smirk slide onto her face as Laguna stormed into the kitchen. The smile was immediately wiped from her face when Skulduggery gave one glance at her and Clyro on the sofa and followed her out.<p>

Now she felt like she was being left out because she was being childish. Maybe she was but she didn't want to think about that now. She focused on her surroundings and the shabby on the outside but inviting house on the inside. Laguna's house was so cramp and compact, it made walking from different rooms difficult. Valkyrie thought her decorating was straight from the sixties, the hippy love era. It was wonderful really and she had definitely been creative. It was warm, comfortable and inviting. Laguna reminded her much of a hippy, her red flowing skirt and white, angel top.

Valkyrie walked herself backwards, very slyly in order to spy on Skulduggery and Laguna. She felt guilt for enjoying her reaction so much, she was asking for her help after all. Her guilt suddenly dissipated the moment she saw her trail her manicured fingers down Skulduggery's arm as they spoke. Since the conversation was about her, she probably should have been in there, but there was no way Valkyrie was stepping a foot near that sexually obvious woman. She was drooling all over him. Drooling!

She saw Skulduggery turn his head in search of her so she quickly ducked back and returned to the sofa.  
>"It's a very unusual occurrence, you know." Clyro started as he watched her sulk. "A relatively unknown source of magic stripping away your memories. I don't recall it ever happening before."<br>"Why did it happen?" she mumbled.  
>"Because you are special."<br>"I'm really not."  
>"How would you know?" Clyro replied as he held her gaze.<br>"I wouldn't trust her if I were you."  
>"Why not?" Valkyrie enquired, curious as the thought had also crossed her mind.<br>"She's a snake, slithering and hiding, waiting for the right moment to go for the kill. I've seen her type before, she is conniving. Plus you should never trust a ginger."  
>"That's a bit prejudice."<br>"Not a bit, _a lot. _But that is after many encounters. In this line of work, they always seem to be the bad guy." He shrugged.

Moments later Skulduggery entered and sat down next to Valkyrie.  
>"Valkyrie, Laguna is going to examine your mind, see if she can give us any answers."<br>"Will it hurt?"  
>"You will be asleep, so painless. Okay?"<p>

The prick from the needle stung her arm as Laguna injected her with anaesthetic. Valkyrie caught the sight of Skulduggery knelt next to the sofa. The glazy outline of his hat was what she tried to hold on to when her body started to feel light and hazed.  
>"She's gone." Laguna stated. Skulduggery stood and watched Valkyrie's features go smooth as deep slumber took over her. Laguna moved in behind Valkyrie's head laid on the armrest and placed her fingertips on her temples. Her eyes fluttered closed and she began.<p>

Laguna Rose was a powerful sensitive who could sense personalities within people's minds. She could sense if they were inhabited by another essence, most commonly Remnants. Skulduggery enlisted the help of Laguna and her sister Summer Plath when he travelled to Russia in his search for Valkyrie. Summer had a slight few more extensions to her power than Laguna. Being the older sister with an age gap of ninety years, Summer had fine-tuned her ability of sensing other powers. She could detect them at distance, she could distinguish each different branch of magic and measure how advanced they were in their chosen discipline. She even knew if someone had the potential of magic, i.e. a normal person able to do magic but unaware of its existence. With their combined powers, Skulduggery hoped to use the sisters to find Valkyrie. Even with them, he still failed. Now knowing that she was in the area all that time was just another low blow that threatened to pin him to the ground.

"There has been extensive work done in here." Laguna commented to Skulduggery almost an hour after she had started on Valkyrie. He peeked up from his armchair, this being the first time in which she had spoken since she began. Clyro had left thirty minutes ago to go find something to do. "At least two years of her life have been re-written going back… five years."  
>"She would have been seventeen then, when her memories were first changed." Skulduggery mulled out loud.<br>"Yes. I'm guessing not long after she arrived here, maybe a week or two. Then her memories were readjusted."  
>"Can you see what was there before?"<br>"No. I am being blocked. I can't enter her memories but both layers, original and fabricated are still in tack. I am assuming our mind changer also installed the mental blocks."  
>"He was called Fraa Shackleton. He's dead. Shouldn't the blocks have disappeared?"<br>"Not unless he reinforced them. I don't know how yet, but that hole in the back of her neck may have been how they administered something to prevent her rejection of the drugs."  
>"Using a large needle in her neck must mean they injected her with an unknown source. Most likely whatever concoction they have managed to cook up. Grouse found no traces on any residue."<br>"Leave me for a while. I want one more final look and then I will wake her up. She might be a bit groggy so I would leave us be until I call."

Skulduggery left with a nod. The moment she heard his footsteps fade away behind the closed door, she pulled out her phone and dialled a number. She locked the door behind her knowing she had at least ten minutes before Valkyrie woke.  
>"Delicious news. He has come to me and you won't be disappointed. He has brought her. She isn't dead like you thought." Mevolent's reply was spoken in his sultry, caramel voice he always used on her.<br>"Skulduggery and Darquesse are there with you now?" Laguna felt like she was going to burst with excitement. No one had ever delivered such good news to Mevolent as she was about to do.  
>"No, Darquesse is not here."<br>His tone hardened. "Then who do you mean?"  
>She giggled. "I have taking a nap on my sofa, Valkyrie Cain, complete with no memories of the last seven years. I have already examined her."<br>"Darquesse is gone?" She was glad to hear him even slightly pleased.  
>"There is no trace of her inside Valkyrie's mind. Whatever that substance was in the bottle, it must have hit her and done this. I have no other way to explain it. Nothing in the history of magic of this sort has ever been encounted."<br>"Well not recorded at least." There was a pause, she could hear his breath down the speaker. "Good work Laguna. You have done well, but I still need you to do one more thing."  
>"Of course, Sir."<br>"Bring her back to me. I want her."  
>"I already know how to persuade them. I will tell them I can retrieve her memories and restore them in full but I do not have the equipment. They are sure to offer a trip back with them, that way they will be in their own territory and feel more secure."<br>"And that is when you strike. But now listen closely. I do_ not_ want any of Darquesse's memories being accessible to Valkyrie. If she remembers anything that Darquesse did it may give them an advantage."  
>"Yes. I can keep the blocks in place that Fraa created. Valkyrie's mind is too slow to even comprehend Darquesse's thought processes, you don't have to worry there."<br>"Now, now. You're bitterness is obvious Laguna. So much bitchiness, I feel I should get out my handbag."  
>"Of course not, Sir." Laguna spoke quietly. Her face turning the same colour as her hair.<br>"I don't own a handbag- any way back on topic, only return the memories Fraa fabricated for her."  
>"But they have already realised some of her memories were fake. Skulduggery mentioned someone called Grouse already establishing that."<br>"Grouse is dead. That damn man, never would just sit down and die. Scientists are all the same, live for the work, and die by the work but always mange to come crawling back. They make me sick. An Echo Stone is the only way he could possibly…"

Laguna didn't dare talk as Mevolent silently fumed over the phone. Her time was ticking.  
>"Ok, take out all the barriers, give her back all her true memories minus the ones created by Darquesse, but I don't want them coming back immediately."<br>"Like a time delay? Or maybe on a trigger."  
>"I like that idea. Install a trigger, that way when you return her to me I can pull the trigger and it will be completely overwhelming for her. To wake up to me again. This could get pleasurable."<br>"And the trigger?"  
>"You decide. Tell me when you have done it."<br>"Ye-" Laguna had barely begun when she heard the end call tone. God that guy was a dick.

"This amount of conditioning would take a few intense hours for me to rectify." Laguna explained to Skulduggery whilst Clyro watched over a still sleeping Valkyrie. This girl just wanted to draw more attention to her special self, she thought.  
>"But can you do it?" Skulduggery questioned.<br>"Well, yes and no." she answered sheepishly. A part of her act. "Theoretically I can go through her memories, remove the blocks to expose her original memories underneath. However the blocks are incredibly precise, woven deep and intricately. Being in the state I need her to be in to dismantle them without making her a vegetable, I would need a lot of equipment and her monitored at every second. It would be incredibly painful for her nonetheless, her body may not even be capable of withstanding that kind of pain."  
>"Trust me, she is." Skulduggery said it so confidently and without hesitation, Laguna always enjoyed competing, but not when she was losing. "We have everything you need in Ireland. Would you come back with us?"<br>"Without a doubt."  
>"Good. I'll inform my contact at the airport. We need a bigger plane."<p>

The flight back west dragged. Valkyrie was already pissed off at the way Laguna forced herself into Valkyrie's seat next to Skulduggery. She had to sit on the opposite side next to Clyro instead. She didn't speak the entire way. Her headache was blurring her vision, she couldn't even see, how could she think? If anyone wanted to talk to her she just pretended to be asleep, they wouldn't have noticed the difference either way.

Valkyrie was worried and it kept her on the edge of her seat, metaphorically. She didn't trust Laguna, not just because she was always flirting with Skulduggery who hadn't shown any interest back but she was blind to it, but because a nagging feeling turned her cold when she thought of her. Clyro had only enforced this with his earlier comments. She didn't want to be at her mercy, leaving her with the job of fixing her own life. How could she trust the woman to do what she says when her own agenda might be different? And there was every certainty she had one.

The landing was rough, there was a brisk chill in the air which held the threat of rain later on. Valkyrie was determined to maintain her sulk and when they neared the Bentley she immediately hopped in the back, behind the passenger seat so when Laguna inevitable took her seat she didn't have to watch that smug look on her face. She felt Skulduggery's gaze on her, or she thought she did. She only thought it was safe to look when she heard someone's phone ring and Skulduggery's voice answer it. He walked a short distance from the car, away from Laguna's nosy ears, she hoped. The manifestation of disappointment and distaste on her features almost made Valkyrie smirk her way through the window.

"Tanith," Skulduggery said calmly into the phone, which made Tanith's shrill reaction even more surprising.  
>"Where have you been?" Tanith cut him off with the urgency of her voice. "I've been trying to contact you for hours. Why weren't you at Gordon's? I get there and the house is empty. I find Gordon and he wouldn't tell me where you had gone, even when I tried bribing him with compliments on his new book."<br>"I'm sorry Tanith, we went to see a sensitive who I thought could possibly advise us."  
>"Is Valkyrie with you? Is she ok? What's going on?" He could tell she was frustrated.<br>"We are at the airport."  
>"Why? Are you going somewhere?"<br>"No, we have just returned."  
>"Where have you been?" Skulduggery could sense Tanith's confusion through the crackling speaker.<br>"Russia. The sensitive was in Russia, we have brought her back with us because we have the equipment she will need to use to help Valkyrie, and hopefully she can do something today."  
>"Do you think she can do it?"<br>"Only time will tell." There was an awkward pause, her hesitation was a giveaway to her reluctance.  
>"The Sanctuary is back up and running- well barely, you should bring her here."<br>"I can't-  
>"I've already told Ghastly." The deathly silence prompted her into explaining herself quickly. "Look, I'm sorry. I know I said I wouldn't but you just disappeared and took Valkyrie with you. I panicked. Don't worry though, Ghastly's not mad. Well he is and hurt but he's fully committed to being civil when Valkyrie is concerned."<br>"I see." Came his frosty response.  
>"Please come. I guarantee we will have everything ready and waiting for you. Everything your sensitive needs."<br>"Where is the Sanctuary located?"  
>"The waxworks museum."<p>

Apparently she had been inside the museum many times when she and Skulduggery were partners. She hadn't said much to anyone on the journey over, not that she could have got a word in edgeways with the amount of rubbish Laguna was spewing. Was it wrong to hate someone who was going to help you? At this point Valkyrie really didn't care.

"Why do we have to go around the back?" Laguna whined as they covertly made their way to the back entrance of the waxworks museum.  
>"I'm sure it's to prevent any of the mortals from noticing that the building is still being used. I would have thought someone like you would be clever enough to understand that." Clyro sneered from his place next to Valkyrie. She had been lumbered with walking next to him and forced to watch Laguna anchor herself to Skulduggery's side.<br>Laguna glared at them over her shoulder, her sinister eyes scrutinized Valkyrie, and the lush splashing of red along her eyelids made her sparkling orbs the centre of Valkyrie's hatred for her.

Once they reached the interior that didn't look like it was crumbling away, Valkyrie recognised the blonde tousled hair that was speed walking her way. Tanith ignored everyone and went straight for Valkyrie, wrapping her arms around her and squeezing her tight. Valkyrie was overwhelmed at how much she felt like she needed someone to hug her like that before she fell completely apart.  
>"Come on, this way. Everyone is in the meeting, so we should have no problems." Tanith explained briefly.<br>"Er, why are we sneaking around? I thought this was the Sanctuary?" Laguna complained in her annoyingly nasal voice.  
>"Because," Valkyrie started, finally beginning to understand her crappy situation. "If anyone sees me they will think I'm Darquesse and probably try and kill me." Not being able to control the downbeat in her voice Valkyrie set off walking, with no idea if she was going in the right direction or not. She didn't care as long as no one saw the tears forming in her eyes.<p>

Laguna was shown to Grouse's medical wing after he came and met them at the lobby. She didn't look best pleased, especially since Grouse seemed to be in a particularly grumpy mood. Valkyrie hoped he gave her hell.  
>Before they reached Ghastly's office Clyro left them. After delivering on his part he felt no reason why he should converse with them longer. No one minded.<p>

"Is he always that creepy?" Tanith asked leading the way.  
>"I think he was designed that way, his creator was far more concerned with extravagance on appearance, rather than focusing on his behaviour." Skulduggery mocked.<br>"Didn't I create him?" Valkyrie said in a disapproving voice. It was to her understanding that she created him to kill Darquesse, a type of travelling executioner.  
>"Not exactly. Cuff Yellcode technically concocted him in his laboratory. You were the subject he used in the process." Skulduggery replied.<br>"Oh." She said. "And who was he again?" Valkyrie observed the look Tanith shot at Skulduggery although she probably wasn't meant to. Tanith changed the subject quickly.  
>"Ghastly's office isn't much further. It's empty, nice and quiet and no one will bother you. Mages from across the country have come here today to elect to members of the council, so he might be a while."<p>

Making their way further two men wearing grey came into view. Valkyrie was fascinated by them and they seemed to be guarding the door to a particular room, probably the one they were heading to. It didn't take Valkyrie long to notice the large scythes strapped to their backs. Guards that were really killing machines.  
>"Who are they?" she said out loud not really directed at anyone specifically. She was too entranced by the two men. Stood there like statues with impressively large blades mere inches from their bodies.<br>"Cleavers." Skulduggery answered. "Personal army and security to the Irish Sanctuary."  
>"Most of them were killed in the explosion at Roarhaven." Tanith continued. "Our numbers are seriously down so we can only post them at places that need essential security. Most of them are surrounding the room Ghastly is conducting the meeting in."<p>

Tanith opened one of the only two doors on this particular corridor to a spacious yet snug, warm office. Valkyrie couldn't help passing by the Cleavers very slowly just in case she fell and impaled herself on their mighty weapons. The brown and cream tones spread throughout upon the furniture complimented the roaring log fire. A caramel, sofa sat opposite an elegant, Victorian style desk complete with white throw pillows and checked blanket draped over the back. Valkyrie caught sight of a silver, wire art photo frame with a photo of Tanith and Ghastly pulling funny faces into the camera. It made her smile. She had been quick to like Tanith, she had a feeling it was the same the first time as well.

"I'll be back in a few minutes. I'll just go tell Ghastly you're here." Tanith left abruptly and also quite suspicious. Valkyrie would have to mention it to her later and for the look she gave Skulduggery earlier.

She was left alone with Skulduggery and she suddenly felt nervous. He was watching her carefully as they stood opposite each other.  
>"I'm sorry this has to be so awkward and difficult for you." Skulduggery apologized, breaking the silence.<br>"I know."  
>"If it was essential I would let you be in that meeting right now so you can see the people in the magical communities within this country."<br>"It's Ok. I know someone may mistake me for Darquesse. You don't want it getting out yet in case someone tries to kill me to make sure Darquesse never comes back."  
>Skulduggery stepped towards her and pressed his finger under her chin. He gently tilted her head from the floor. She was forced to stare into those endless eye sockets.<br>"I know you don't like Laguna." He started in anything but an angry, accusing tone. "She can be a lot to take in when you first meet her. But she's the best at what she does and I wouldn't have endeavoured for her help otherwise."  
>"Are you two…" Valkyrie internally cringed at the awkwardness finishing her sentence would cause. The words slipped out, her brain turning against her. Skulduggery's finger was still touching her chin and his thumb had started grazing the skin just below her bottom lip. "Like… a, a thing?"<br>She swore she heard him chuckle under his breath before he replied "No."  
>She couldn't say she was that relieved.<p>

"This must be really hard for you." Tanith commented as they sat in Ghastly's office.  
>"I'm just looking forward to this part of my life being over." Valkyrie answered.<br>"It soon will be. They are prepping the room now and everyone else is in the meeting so you won't be pestered by anyone." Valkyrie tried to smile, her mind was racing with the thought of getting her memory back. But what if Laguna does something else and instead of getting her memory back, she gets something more sinister. Rather than tell Tanith her concerns, Valkyrie kept tight lipped but somehow knew she had been rumbled. Tanith was staring at her way too intensely.  
>"You're nervous." There was no point lying to the woman.<br>"Yes."  
>"Why?"<br>"I… I don't trust her, that Laguna woman. I'm scared she will do a weird mind trick on me and I will kick myself if I don't listen to my gut and I end up being right."  
>"Believe me, no-one trusts her." Valkyrie perked up at the notion that her reluctance to trust her wasn't stupid.<br>"Really? What about Skulduggery?"  
>"I don't know if Skulduggery trusts her or not, but he can read people significantly better than the rest of us. His intentions are all about protecting you, you are safe in his hands."<br>"I think Laguna fancies him."  
>"She certainly does look to be all over him like a rash." Valkyrie felt deflated. If she wasn't the only one to notice then it was most probably happening. They most likely started their <em>thing <em>in Russia the first time he was there.  
>"He won't fall for her act, he can see right through it. So just chill ok?"<p>

Valkyrie had been left to her own devices for some time. Skulduggery had gone to see how things were coming along with Grouse and Laguna and Tanith claimed she had to get back to the meeting for Ghastly. Valkyrie didn't mind, it was just more time to stew on her awful decision making. She was getting sick of staring at the same four walls and after two hours of being alone, she had to get out, stretch her legs.  
>The only thing that actually put a smile on her face was the multitude of was figures that were still littering the corners of most rooms. Tanith had explained that the Sanctuary used to be located a few floors down that way the population would assume the building was empty. Apparently a lot of people had died when a horde of vampires struck the place. They didn't want to work down there again. It made sense now why there were waxworks everywhere.<p>

As she moved from room to room observing the different frozen faces, she realised the next part was a load from the horror exhibits. She grew excited, excited at the thought of being scared. Maybe she _was_ part of this world.  
>The figures were creepy but dated, probably wouldn't scare many people anymore. She stood before the line of monsters and murderers, the ones that weren't dumped on the ground, then she heard a group of young voices heading her way.<p>

Valkyrie quickly ducked behind the figure of _Freddie Kruger_ from _A Nightmare on Elm Street._ She could distinguish four voices, two girls and two boys. The group of four neared Valkyrie's hiding place, she could see their outlines from behind her shield. One of the boys sounded younger than the other and the two girls sounded similar ages. The idea had popped into her head to frighten them and the feeling was so delicious she couldn't help herself. They were talking about normal teenage things so completely oblivious to everything. Whilst the group was distracted Valkyrie lightly pressed her hands on the back of the waxy _Freddie_. She proceeded to make quiet ghostly noises but she couldn't go any louder or the threat of laughter loomed. She heard shocked gasps and on the moment she pushed _Freddie _over forcefully she shouted a loud "A booga booga."

She watched the four scramble from the room screaming over the clatter and let out a good long minute of laboured laughter. Valkyrie wondered out into the corridor turning in the direction of where the group went, she walked until the corridors became lighter joining the main building. She hadn't seen the screamers anywhere.

"Hello. I'm sorry I scared you." She called for the fifteenth time hoping they would come out of hiding. She must have made them shit themselves if they ran this far. As she rounded the next corner she was suddenly thrown upwards and hit the ceiling, sucking the wind right out of her.  
>"Quick! Get her!" Valkyrie barely registered the girls voice until fingers pressed to her chest and her body turned went taunt as it shattered.<br>"We've got her. We've got Darquesse."


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: So I had to split the last chapter in two because it got quite long, that's why this one is already written. Even I agreed it was too long and splitting it was reasonable. I really hope you stick with this story, in my opinion this is where it starts to get juicy. I'm really looking forward to writing the next few chapters.  
>Even though this is set after Death Bringer and takes a completely different turn I wanted to incorporate as much of the latest books as I could. If you hadn't noticed that already then- Surprise!<strong>

**Disclaimer: I really hate Derek Landy for creating Skulduggery pleasant and skimping on the Valduggery stuff.**

**Following the Darquesse**

**Chapter Eleven**

Tanith eyed the red head from the far side of the medical wing as she prepped the cornered off area for Valkyrie's brain fry. Laguna had glanced over a few times and saw Tanith failing to hide the fact she was staring, so she pulled the curtain around the bed so she wasn't been ogled anymore. Saracen came to a stop at her shoulder since she had been pouring the same empty glass of water into the sink for a full minute, he saw when he first entered the wing.

"Do you think red is her natural hair colour?" Tanith asked silently aware of Saracen's presence. Her eyes still focused.  
>"Who?" Saracen asked scoping the room for the person Tanith was staring at only to be confused when he saw no one.<br>"Laguna Rose."  
>"Now why does that name sound familiar?"<br>Tanith laughed. "Another notch in your bedpost perhaps?" Turning around she glimpsed the slacking of his features. Her eyes bulged.  
>"You didn't?" She groaned in disbelief.<br>"I think I might have."  
>A chill made its way through Tanith and shook her body. She couldn't prevent the cringed out noises that followed.<br>"God, don't you have any taste? Or do you just let anyone jump on and touch it?" She questioned as they walked from the wing, not wanting Laguna to hear their conversation.  
>"Pretty much." Saracen replied cheerily and unfazed.<br>"And how long did you two last?"  
>"Not long. She was, for want of better words- bat shit crazy."<br>"How?" Tanith asked with an amused smile.  
>"Being needy and clingy was the beginning of it. But when she stabbed me for standing her up for dinner, I got the message and broke it off."<br>"She stabbed you?" Tanith failed to stop her laughter. "I'm not surprised. Did you at least get some pay back?"  
>"Yeah. A week later she caught me in bed with her sister."<br>"Oh Saracen."  
>"That's what she said. She was a lot more mature in that department. Very skilled with her mouth if you know what I mean."<br>"Stop! I know all too well. Don't scar me."  
>"You don't want to hear about the sex?" Saracen mocked sarcastically. "What a prude."<br>"I don't care about the sex talk, I just don't want to hear about it involving you, you perve." Tanith playfully elbowed him in the ribs.  
>"Yes, yes. If that helps you sleep at night."<br>"Oh shut up. We need to keep an eye on Laguna you idiot. Valkyrie's really anxious about her."  
>"How is Valkyrie? Can I see her?"<br>"Skulduggery doesn't want everyone overwhelming her. She has to be calm and collected before she goes into this or she could come out of it worse off than now."  
>"So who should we send? It has to be someone no one would find suspicious, or care about."<p>

Tanith and Saracen heard someone skipping towards the door of the medical bay. Bright blue hair appeared round the corner as the girl wielding it chimed Christmas songs to herself. They exchanged similar glanced and simultaneously chased after Clarabelle.

Valkyrie coughed and gagged. The agony threatened to shut down her brain, if it wasn't for the sharp, stabbing sensation in her chest forcing her to skirmish for breath. She struggled to pant, unable to take air into her lungs. Her vision was too unfocused because of the tears, streaming down her face gathering upon her eyeballs distorting her view.  
>"Why isn't she healing?" A worried voice battered around the edge of her consciousness.<br>"Oh God, what have I done?"  
>Valkyrie tried to get onto her side because she couldn't breathe on her back. She was going to die. She let the panic sink in as all energy drained from her body.<br>"Why did you tell me to do that?" The boy's voice had turned bitter as he accused another one of the teenagers.  
>"I thought she was Darquesse." A girl replied calmly.<br>The voices were fading. Everything was fading. Her surroundings, her sight, the pain.  
>"I… feel… cold." She managed to splutter. Her cares drifted with her last strained breathe.<p>

"I hope this works, young lady. Or I'm afraid I will have no choice but to hold you personally responsible." Grouse was unhappy at the young Russian for taking over his laboratory, and acting like it belonged to her in the first place.  
>"This is not my idea. I am responsible for nothing." Laguna replied casting her peeved off glare upon him. Grouse narrowed his eyes and folded his arms refusing to back down.<br>"I don't know how things function in your country, my dear," Grouse had been unusually grumpy the moment Laguna stepped foot in the room, anyone could tell. But no one had ever heard him threaten someone before. Unless that someone was Skulduggery. He threatened Skulduggery many times. "But _here_ you are very much responsible for the acts you commit and I can guarantee you _will_ do your best or you will have me to deal with."  
>Taking a threat from an Echo Stone was never something any mage feared. In fact it was funny. But Laguna had no choice but to take Grouse seriously as he was the first one of his kind. The first person to die, leave an Echo Stone and modify it so they could touch and pick up things, and function so close to a living human being. To their knowledge anyway. She knew very well he could easily pick up a knife and just stab her out of the blue. Grouse finished and left the room with a lingering frown directed at Laguna.<p>

Tanith was just happy someone had managed to shut her up. She had walked in when Laguna was ranting about hair care products to Skulduggery and Grouse, the one audience that really cared, and she hadn't been able to get a word in between the hair flicks and eye flutters.

"Er, Skulduggery," She watched him put down his clipboard and meet her eyes. "Where's Valkyrie?"  
>"She's in the lounge." He replied.<br>"I've just been past and it was empty."  
>"What?" Skulduggery asked alarmed. "She must have wondered off somewhere."<br>Skulduggery and Tanith split up and sprinted in different directions to find Valkyrie. Skulduggery hurried back to the lounge hoping she had gone back. When he burst through the door, the room wasn't empty.

"What are you doing in here, Clyro?" Skulduggery grumbled at the sight of him.  
>"I thought it may interest you to know that Valkyrie is in deep pain. Not just the type where she feels invisible in your eyes and let down, but actual, imminent death, type of pain."<br>Skulduggery stormed forward pinning Clyro to the far wall, cracking the cement with force.  
>"What?" he spat, holding Clyro up with his arm bearing down on his chest.<br>"I'd get to her fast, if I was you." Clyro struggled to get the words out.  
>"Where is she?" Skulduggery demanded, smashing Clyro back into the wall with greater force. Clyro couldn't do more than point at the ground below.<br>Skulduggery abruptly let go of him forcing him to drop to the floor and sprinted from the room without another glance.  
>Clyro tried to smirk to himself, though the skeleton had hurt him more than he thought anyone could. He was created to kill Darquesse after all, he had to be strong. Clyro had apparently underestimated Skulduggery.<p>

"How did this happen?" Tanith asked the four teens sternly, after a broken Valkyrie had been found and rolled to the medical wing on a stretcher. Tanith stood with her arms folded determined to find the truth. None of the four could meet her eyes. It probably didn't help that Skulduggery was stood silently beside her and Clyro who had sauntered in unannounced and decided to stay and watch their humiliation.

Grouse disallowed anyone from staying whilst he worked on Valkyrie's delicate bones. He told them she would survive, he could easily fix broken bones, but a lot of them, say forty, would take time, and it would be painful for Valkyrie, some magic tricks just didn't work on injuries that severe, well not as rapidly anyway. One thing Grouse did know for sure was that Valkyrie's memory recovery with Laguna would not be happening that night. Tanith had scoffed when he told them she needed at least two weeks. She tried to argue Valkyrie couldn't wait that long, but Grouse merely dismissed them all and shoved them out.

"We thought she was Darquesse." Shining answered glumly. "She was messing with us, scaring us with the wax figures. It's something she would do."  
>"I'm sorry," Saskia interrupted Shining's mumblings. "but you can't be mad at us if we didn't know it wasn't Darquesse." She finished in a snarky tone.<br>"I don't understand why you would try going up against her by yourselves?" Tanith ignored Saskia's smartarse comments but scowled at her, warning her if she continued. All she got in response was a line of shrugged shoulders.  
>"Look, we know you would never try to hurt Valkyrie on purpose. We aren't telling you off, we just want to understand what happened."<br>"I had no idea who she was." Shining blurted out. "I just got scared, and when Saskia said it was Darquesse, I panicked."  
>All eyes landed on Saskia who knew she had been dropped in it.<br>"Saskia-"  
>"I saw her and she looked like Darquesse. You lot haven't told us anything since we got here. We didn't even know Valkyrie was back. Ever since Darquesse, Valkyrie, whatever she is, came along you have just forgotten about us and dumped us on anyone that will have us." Saskia snarled stubbornly. The nasty, twisted sulk on her face was new to Tanith.<br>Before the silence broke Clyro stood from his chair, where he was watching with interest from the corner and clapped his hands.  
>"Mystery solved then." He walked towards the door, intent on leaving without enlightening anyone on how the <em>'mystery was solved'<em>, before Skulduggery caught his arm.  
>"Do you care to elaborate?"<br>"I saw Saskia ease dropping outside Ghastly's office earlier." Clyro let his translucent eyes bore into Saskia's. She couldn't meet his eyes which should have proved to the others that he was about to rumble her. "I watched her for at least ten minutes listening to your conversations. Ask the Cleavers. They were present the entire time but didn't consider her a threat so left her be. Therefore it's impossible for her to think Valkyrie was Darquesse. It seems jealously got the best of her and she wanted rid of her competition. By using Shining as the weapon, she assumed she wouldn't be blamed."

Skulduggery turned to Saskia. It was obvious from her body language, the brightness of her red face, that Clyro was telling the truth. Even knowing it, Skulduggery still had to ask her directly. "Saskia, is that true?" His voice was low but not menacing. She sulked there for a moment, hating everyone staring at her like so.  
>"You were replacing me and I had done nothing wrong. Yet Valkyrie can turn into an evil, world destroying bitch and no one bats an eyelid. I hope she doesn't survive." She couldn't care less if she was being unreasonable or hurtful. She hated Valkyrie for taking everything away from her.<p>

In the short time Ghastly and China had set up the new Sanctuary, they certainly hadn't slacked off. The building was fully equipped and functional, obviously minus any unique objects they had in the old repository, but they had everything they needed to continue running.  
>The session had been fully underway, to choose new council members in one of the larger rooms, used as the sports section when the museum was still open. A new Elder needed to be elected and a new Grand Mage.<p>

With there being multiple cases of Madam Mist being secretive and conniving, Ghastly disallowed another Child of the Spider to replace her, even in spite of the uproar. Fortunately for Ghastly, almost every other group agreed with him. The Children of the Spider vowed vengeance before they left.  
>None of the sensitives that came to watch the deliberations wanted to volunteer for a place on the council. They had enough mental stress issues as it was.<p>

The meeting had been going on for hours and it was unilaterally decided that no one leave before a decision had been made. When their arguing voices were at their lowest there was a shrill voice that could be heard from deep within the building. The muffled sound recurred, one by one the mages went silent in order to listen to the unknown sound. Confused and anxious glances spread across the faces in the room as the piercing noise of Valkyrie's agonised screams drifted to their ears.  
>"What is that?" asked and elderly sorcerer.<br>"That would be one of our people getting better." Ghastly stated before trying to get back on topic. He was glad Tanith was very efficient at keeping him informed on the running of things outside this room. They were bordering on six hours now and he couldn't wait to get out and see for himself what was going on.  
>"Doesn't sound like she's getting better." said an elderly lady, the sorcerer's wife from behind, he could see her jaded scarf and woolly hat. The heating was something Ghastly hadn't managed to fix yet. They had multiple fires around the room that Ghastly had lit before everyone had arrived in order to make at least one more thing about this situation more tolerable.<br>"Trust me. Now let's move on."  
>Ghastly and China exchanged uneasy glances before trying to get back to the situation at hand.<p>

Skulduggery walked calmly to the door despite the tearful cries coming from inside. He activated the sigil on the wall, sound proofing the room. The screams stopped and he could do nothing but stand in that very spot, for moving away was too difficult.

The halls of the Sanctuary were quiet due to the ongoing deliberations that could be heard, though muffled from anywhere else in the building. Solomon Wreath walked the corridors annoyed with the petty disagreements that took over when deciding who would fulfil the role of Grand Mage, he wasn't sour at him being disallowed a vote either. Ghastly's reasoning being _'because I don't like you, or Necromancers in general, and I would actually rather not have you here at all' _hardly seemed fair. His foul mood only increased when no one objected to Ghastly's statement and he was socially forced to leave the room. He was certain his mood was to plummet, however when he recognised none other than the infamous Skeleton Detective himself, waiting outside a door, he started to walk with purpose in his direction. He was eager to change his mood.

Wreath allowed the spine tingling smirk to slowly turn his lip up, but Skulduggery didn't seem to notice. He stood lent against the wall, his ankles crossed with his white gloves peeking from the pockets of his navy suit trousers. He didn't seem to notice Wreath at all, with his head bowed and his hat covering the top half of his skull, Wreath had to cough to get his attention.

"What do you want Wreath?" Skulduggery groaned upon seeing the Necromancer.  
>"I wanted to check up on my favourite student, since her screeches can be heard from Dublin." Wreath replied ignoring Skulduggery's obvious annoyance at the prospect of talking to him. It just made Wreath determined to hurt him more.<br>"Well you can't. This wing is off limits to visitors." Skulduggery replied.  
>"I thought they would make an exception, since you know I was her teacher for over a year."<br>"Don't make me shoot you in the eye, Wreath. Walk in the opposite direction and don't come back here." Skulduggery's voice had changed from gloomy to severe in a matter of seconds. That's what Wreath wanted to see.

"Now, now. You don't have to threaten me. I care about her and now that Valkyrie seems to be back I want to make sure she's Ok. Maybe if she gets her memories back I could start teaching her again." Wreath hoped that would hit the spot, he knew Skulduggery detested the idea of him teaching Valkyrie to use Necromancy. He wanted this conversation to emotionally unravel him, even if he never showed it to anyone, he wanted him to be rattled.

"I'm never allowing you to teach Valkyrie again. Now get lost Wreath."  
>"Don't you think she's old enough and wise enough not to need you babysitting her all the time. She's an adult now Skulduggery, not a child you can mould into the perfect apprentice. Cold hearted and lonely like you. She's a young woman who is capable of making her own decisions. I intend to offer my services to her because I know I can teach her things she could never even <em>dream<em> of doing." Wreath's suggestive tone dropped to a whisper as he ducked in so Skulduggery could hear his next words loud and clear. "And if one or two of those things happen in a bedroom, where we are both naked and hot, then I'm not going to say no to tha-"

Lights danced behind Wreath's eyes and the heavy blow to his face forced him off his feet. He hadn't registered Skulduggery's movement until his fist crunched into his nose so quick and so hard, he was powerless to stop his fall. The concrete was hard against his back, his skull stung from where it cracked against the stone. He was so dazed he barely realised he was sliding at a fast pace away from the medical wind, all the way down the corridor. Skulduggery's one flick of the wrist sent Wreath skidding over a thirty feet, he only stopped when a dense stone partition got in his way.

The atmosphere in the Sanctuary was anything but comfortable. A decision had still not been made on who would take over Ravel and Madam Mist's positions. Laguna travelled the halls looking for her man of interest. She had only stepped out to get herself a drink and a few snacks from the vending machine. There wasn't much to choose from. A mixed fruity drink with a packet of saucy rib crisps and a caramel chocolate bar seemed like her best options.  
>She found Skulduggery outside the medical wing and upon seeing her, he nodded as soon as she was close to the next door along and they both went inside.<br>"I've just seen a man crumpled up by the wall. Happen to know who he is?" Laguna asked innocently despite ease dropping earlier and already knowing Skulduggery and Wreath had a small disagreement.  
>"Yes."<br>"Are you Ok?" she asked. When he gave her no reply she continued. "I was looking for you and couldn't help but overhear what Solomon said to you." It was easy for her to induct herself into other people business, It was one of the reasons her sister hated her. "You know, it sounded to me like he was just trying to get a reaction out of you."  
>"It wouldn't be the first time."<p>

Laguna swayed closer to Skulduggery. "But maybe Valkyrie shouldn't have to wake up to all this chaos. Or she should at least rest in a place she feels comfortable. I doubt being cooped up in this place will do her any good. What's the situation with her parents?" she questioned.  
>"After Valkyrie fled to Russia, her reflection took over her home life temporarily, until I could get her back. As the years passed and all my attempts to find her failed, Stephanie took over Valkyrie's life for good."<p>

Skulduggery sat down next to Laguna as he tried to explain what happened afterwards.  
>"But not solving crimes with you?"<br>"No. She wanted to be with Valkyrie's family and she wasn't magical anyway, she had no powers so she wouldn't have been any use during the mysteries we used to take on."  
>"So no good in a fight then."<br>"But she was killed."  
>Laguna's interest peeked, though she attempted to seem shocked. "How?" Pretending to sound sincere came so naturally to her these days.<br>"They had a burglary. Stephanie was the only one home, her parents had taken Alice away for the weekend and she was meant to be enjoying a quiet weekend alone. There was one burglar and they stuffed something hard and solid down her throat causing internal damage."  
>"A mage? Or were they just human?"<br>"We never found any trace of them. I went to check in on her knowing Melissa and Desmond were away, but when I got there…" he trailed off. Laguna envied the sorrow on his voice. She couldn't understand why he loved Valkyrie so much. She was a boring, self-centred child who Laguna would normally have no time for.  
>"Did you have to tell her parents? I would have been devastated."<br>"It wasn't a pleasant experience. I hoped that they would take some comfort in knowing her real daughter could still be alive and well, I told them all they needed to know, nothing more, but they struggled believing me."  
>"Did they blame you for it?" her voice was gradually becoming sultrier and luxurious as she reached her hand over to his arm rest and laid it upon his.<p>

"At first they did." He ignored her hand and her touch wasn't convincing enough for him to look her way. If he had, he would have seen Laguna's frustrated glower. Skulduggery gazed into the centre of the room. "But who could blame them for that. They rang me a few weeks later to apologise and asked me to carry on my search for Valkyrie."  
>"And what did you tell them?" Finally he made eye contact with her.<br>"I told them I would never stop."

Skulduggery looked away again so fast he probably didn't see the look of disgust form on her face. She took her hand back and let out a little cough.  
>"Have you thought about taking her home to recover? I mean it's going to be two weeks before I can do anything. Maybe she would want to go home to her parents."<br>"It's a possibility. But I won't make her go anywhere she doesn't want to."  
>Laguna just wanted to shout '<em>who cares what she wants, she's a walking blank slate now get her to bugger off' <em>but thought that might not send quite the right message.  
>Skulduggery rose from his chair smoothly, before he made it to the door, Laguna spoke.<br>"Did you ever find out who did it?"  
>"Who did what?"<br>"Who killed Valkyrie's reflection?" From his drop in posture she already knew the answer.  
>"No, I did not."<p>

Ghastly saw the last of the sorcerers who came for the meeting out once it was over. Ghastly was astounded that he had landed the role of Grand Mage. How in the world had that happened? He felt a sense of guilt for taking over Ravel's job when they still had no proof he was dead. No body, just the word of his body guard in America. His friends were dropping like flies and what made him angry was all he wanted to do was talk to Skulduggery about it. He loved Tanith with every piece of him he could give her, but she just hadn't been alive long enough to understand four hundred years of friendship. Skulduggery would always come out with some comment that would make him feel saner.

He smiled remembering the day he was first elected as a council member. Skulduggery laughed and laughed when he saw him in his new robes. As he walked the anger slowly dripped away. He couldn't cut ties with Skulduggery, not even if he did kill his mother. He had saved his life and Tanith's quite a few times since, he was his oldest friend and the most loyal. Even after Skulduggery committed that atrocious deed he came back. Ghastly knew that if their positions were reversed he would have stayed hidden, creating the illusion he was dead so he didn't have to go back and face him. Cowardly, yes. But who continued being friends with the person that murdered their mother. Ghastly Bespoke, that's who.

As Ghastly strode towards his quarters he noticed the shadow of someone waiting outside his door for him, the Cleavers vacant from their posts. He needn't guess who it was for he already knew. Skulduggery came into view.  
>"Can you believe this ridiculousness? Ghastly almost exploded as he unlocked the door to his chamber allowing Skulduggery to follow him inside. "Me! As the new Grand Mage! They do come up with silly ideas sometimes." Ghastly groaned as he let himself fall into his chair. He was exhausted after eight hours of debating.<br>"I think you will make a fine Grand Mage." Skulduggery said in his usual light tone.  
>"Oh shut up." Ghastly snapped, barely managing to contain his smile. "I understood them choosing Ravel, he was good at things like this. But me, I'd rather be in my study sewing together our groomsman suits.<br>"You have been great on the council these past years, why wouldn't you want a promotion?" Skulduggery asked.  
>"For one, it's drafty in here and these robes are just undignified pieces of tailoring, if you can call it tailoring at all. Mashing together bin bags is what it actually is."<br>"Ghastly." Skulduggery's more serious tone forced Ghastly to forget about his rant. "I am sorry-"  
>Ghastly put his hand in the air to cut him off. "I know you are. But it won't change the past, will it?"<br>"No, it won't."  
>"Then there is no need. I've wrestled with my mother's death for a long time. About how she was killed, but my biggest question I've struggled with concerning Lord Vile was why he didn't kill me at the same time. I suppose I owe you my life or I would have died that day during the war. I would never have met Tanith or known the life we have together now. I have known you for far too long Skulduggery, and even though I hate you for what you did…" Skulduggery had been stationary, like a statue whilst Ghastly talked. He deserved for Ghastly to hate him, he deserved much more horrible things, but it sounded as if he was almost capable of forgiveness. "I will not lose another friend. Not you."<br>"Ghastly, you in no way should feel obliged to associate with me."  
>"Oh, I don't. I just know you will let me boss you around for a while and that's good enough for me." Ghastly smirked and he stood to shake his hand.<br>"I haven't forgiven you, old friend. There is still a lot I want you to tell me, but for now this is enough."

After their conversation had moved to minor subjects, Skulduggery announced that he was on his way to see Valkyrie. Ghastly joined him as the new Grand Mage hoping to get answers out of Grouse who appeared to enjoy rejecting Skulduggery's request for information on how she was doing.

Once there, Skulduggery pushed open the door quietly. Tanith was waiting behind it. She was stood at the entrance to Valkyrie's room. She didn't look like she had very good news to tell them.  
>"Tanith what's wrong?" Skulduggery asked, she felt guilty over the urgency in his voice. "Where's Valkyrie?"<br>"She's fine. Grouse said she is healing well but will be groggy for a while yet."  
>Skulduggery went to move past her into Valkyrie's room but was blocked when Tanith wedged herself between them and the door.<br>"What? I thought you said she was awake."  
>"She is. But she doesn't want to see anyone. Not even you Skulduggery."<p>

**Two weeks later.**

Tanith rolled up to the front gateway to Gordon's Mansion and skidded to a stylish halt with Valkyrie plastered to her back, holding on for dear life.  
>"I thought you liked it fast." Tanith joked, she laughed upon witnessing Valkyrie stumble whilst throwing her leg over the seat too quickly. Tanith reached out and caught her, keeping her up right.<br>"Not after my face flies off. That's the point where I want to slow down. Not speed up!" Tanith responded with s broad grin.  
>"To think, this place is meant to be mine. You would think I would remember something like that." Valkyrie said as she gazed up at the massive exterior of the building. Tanith gave her a sad sympathetic smile.<br>"You still don't remember anything?" She asked knowing the answer would be the same, but wanted to check just in case.  
>"Nope. Running into Shining and Saskia probably didn't help any. That's why my brain has decided to remember nothing."<br>"Well maybe tomorrow will do the trick." Tanith offered, referring to the next day when Valkyrie would finally let Laguna unblock her mind.

Valkyrie had been staying at Tanith and Ghastly's house for the past two weeks, Valkyrie had called it babysitting. Ghastly hadn't come home in all of her time there, though Tanith did go to the Sanctuary nearly every day to see him. Whilst she was gone Saracen would come over, or Dexter, even Clyro. She had tones of fun with the former and she enjoyed getting to know their lives, before the war, after the war, what happened when she came along. She lived a very drastic life she thought, she still half expected this to be all a joke and something would happen to give it up at any second, just when she was least expecting it, no doubt.  
>Skulduggery never came to visit and she hadn't mustered the courage to ask Tanith why. She was too afraid of the answer.<p>

"Or I'm going to end up a vegetable. I really should embrace every minute of today, as it could be my last."  
>"I know you aren't being serious, but could you not say things like that."<br>"Sorry. I just don't want my hopes dashed again."  
>"I know. We are going to make sure it happens this time." Tanith could tell by the unconvinced smile on Valkyrie's face that she had no faith at all.<br>"There will be no teenagers, I swear."  
>Valkyrie laughed slightly. "What happened to them anyway?"<br>"Words were exchanged and now they are staying at a half-way house type of thing near the Sanctuary, so an eye can be kept on them."

Tanith took her hand and led her inside. She hadn't had much of a chance to see the inside properly the last time she was here, except the study where she found Gordon's novels.  
>"You used to love coming here, you said your Uncle Gordon was the only person who ever spoke to you as an adult, when you were a kid. Until you met Skulduggery."<br>"Ah the mysterious Skulduggery Pleasant." Valkyrie blurted as they settled in the living room. Tanith frowned at Valkyrie as she slumped down on one of the settees and started flicking through an old magazine, carefully avoiding Tanith's eye.  
>Tanith sat down next to her and flipped the magazine closed. Valkyrie let out an exasperated sigh. "What's wrong?" Tanith asked.<br>"He's meant to be my best friend, right?"  
>"I think you were a lot closer than that but yes, essentially you were best friends."<br>"He doesn't look at me like a friend." Tanith frowned again.  
>"How do you mean?"<br>"I catch him looking at me sometimes and it's… he's."  
>"How do you know he was looking at you?" Tanith saved her from her lack of expression. "He is a skeleton after all."<br>"I just knew." Valkyrie retorted.  
>"Yes, you always could. I forgot about that. Feels like it's been decades." Valkyrie looked at her friend, a friend who she didn't know but liked instantly.<br>"I could?"  
>"Even better than Ghastly, and the two have been friends for a couple of hundred years, give or take a few hundred. You and Skulduggery clicked so perfectly when you first met. I was also brought in and if it wasn't for our friendship, I doubt I would have stayed."<p>

It was a nice change for both of them to hang out in a different space for a change, the great advantage of having lots of space meant they weren't cramped and all in each other's space, like they were in Tanith and Ghastly's tiny house. They were each able to lounge on a sofa to themselves whilst they watched sitcoms on the television and made fajitas and dessert pizza to eat for the night.

"So tomorrow," Tanith started yanking herself up during one of the adverts.  
>"Yes, about that." Valkyrie interjected. "I don't think I'm ready, it's only been two weeks."<br>"And in that time you have remembered how much?"  
>"Not my fault." Valkyrie asserted refusing to answer the question.<br>"No it's not." Tanith agreed. "But what Laguna is doing will work."

"He cups my chin and makes me look deeply into his eyes. You know what I mean." Valkyrie started cautiously out of the blue. She had been thinking about confiding in Tanith all week but hadn't gotten over the embarrassment. Tanith lent back, completely unfazed by the sudden change of topic and stared at Valkyrie with a half-smile for way longer then she was comfortable with.  
>"Are you starting to have feelings for him?" Valkyrie immediately went red.<br>"I don't know how I feel! How can I with my situation. How do you even start liking someone when you can't even remember yourself?"  
>"Exactly." Tanith confirmed. "That's why you definitely need to go to the Sanctuary tomorrow and get this over with." She squeezed Valkyrie's knee in an attempt to comfort her.<br>"Ok, you're right. I'll go."  
>"Good." Tanith said clapping her hands on her knees. "You and Skulduggery, eh?"<br>"Shut up, Tanith." Valkyrie didn't like delightful grin on Tanith's face or how she sang her words like they were teenagers. She knew Tanith was like seventy.  
>"I can totally see it."<br>"Please don't." Valkyrie whined, not in the mood to feel embarrassed throughout this entire conversation.  
>"Hey, you know it's fine if your feelings are changing. That's what happens to people. You shouldn't feel embarrassed about it."<br>"What's not embarrassing about unrequited love?" Valkyrie immediately clamped her lips closed, her body sank a little when Tanith's face lit up. "I did not just admit to unrequited love by the way."  
>"What is it?"<br>"What's what?" Valkyrie asked suddenly confused.  
>"The thing you are scared the most about?" Tanith always seemed like a genuinely nice person. She was asking because she cared about her, not gossip, she had to give her credit for that.<br>"I don't know."  
>"Is it the fact that he's a skeleton?"<br>"He has a magical façade that gives him a human body." Valkyrie pointed out.  
>"So it's not that he hasn't got real enough parts, if you know what I mean." Tanith said suggestively making Valkyrie smile and shake her head.<br>"No, I just can't… put my finger on it." Tanith gave her a hug as if to say they would figure it out. But Valkyrie already knew why and was glad Tanith didn't suspect. Valkyrie just wasn't going to tell her. She wasn't going to tell anyone.

There was a knock at the heavy front door, a boom that echoed through the hallways. Valkyrie waited in the living while Tanith went to answer the door. Who would be calling here, no one knew they were staying at the mansion tonight.  
>Valkyrie went back to flipping the glossy pages of the creased magazine when she heard Tanith's shout reach her ears.<br>"I'll see you later Valkyrie."  
>"What? Ok. Bye. Wait who-" Valkyrie stammered before she heard the clunking of the front door closing. "-was at the door?" Valkyrie trailed off to herself.<p>

Valkyrie frowned at the space she had last seen Tanith occupy, confused on why she had left so suddenly. She went to check the front door in case she was still waiting there to play a trick on her. As she rounded the corner a handsomely dressed skeleton awaited her.  
>She jumped on pure instinct, Skulduggery being the last person she expected to see.<br>"She's gone. Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." That voice melted in her ears. And made her a little fuzzy downstairs.  
>"It's Ok." She stammered, dazed to see him at all.<br>"Is it fine for me to be here?" he asked.  
>"Of course. Yes, yes." She said without hesitating. She gestured towards the living room unsure of what to do now that he was here. And now that she had immediately sexualised him the moment she saw him. God what was she thinking?<br>"I see Tanith has been taking good care of you?" Skulduggery jested light heartedly as he followed her into the living room.  
>"Yes, she's been great." Valkyrie affirmed. "I'm sorry for not wanting to see you after, after what happened. I was shaken up that's all, not mad." She felt awkward and Skulduggery could probably tell she was. She simply had no control over her actions whilst she still didn't know who she was.<br>"I understand." Skulduggery replied gently. "You don't have to explain yourself."

Valkyrie nodded not wanting to drag it out further. She felt pressure on the sofa next to her and she realised Skulduggery had sat down and was facing her. He had already removed his hat and his jacket and was now staring down at her.  
>"So, where have you been?" she asked as casually as she could.<br>"Ghastly sent me to Russia again."  
>"Why?" Valkyrie tried to hide her disappointment at not being able to go with him, not even being asked.<br>"He wanted me to find Laguna's sister, Summer Plath."  
>"The one who can sense magic and powers?"<br>"The very same. But I was unsuccessful."  
>"He made you go by yourself?"<br>"Laguna came with me. Laguna and Summer have been estranged for some time now."  
>"Oh."<p>

She didn't respond for what felt like the longest time, her thoughts were caught up in her reluctance to believe Laguna. And that she had gone away with Skulduggery along. How much flirting could she cram into that amount of time? Valkyrie insisted to herself that Laguna was not what she seemed and she had a sneaking suspicion that she did know where her sister was.  
>She was pulled from her musings when her chin was gently turned to face the skeleton, his fingers lightly holding her there.<br>"Valkyrie, I know you don't trust Laguna. But she is your best shot." Skulduggery announced in his soothing voice.  
>"I know." She couldn't meet his eyes, she was being a child sulking all the time when Skulduggery was travelling the globe to try and help her. His finger moved from her chin and rose to her check, he stroked it gently coaxing her into looking up at him.<br>"Is there something you want to tell me?" How could she lie to that voice, that was completely capable of making her soften into pieces.  
>"I've wondered thousands of times in the last fortnight if I should do this at all. I was scared at how easily I could get hurt and I feel like I'm running around in a horror story with no idea as to what's going on. I feel lost."<br>"That is the ugly truth of our existence. It is safer for us to hide away but that sometimes means suppressing a part of ourselves."

Valkyrie let her head fall heavily onto Skulduggery's shoulder. She was so mentally exhausted, it was too hard to think about it anymore.  
>"Have you fallen asleep?" he asked as her breathing began to slow. She glanced up quickly and smiled.<br>"No, I haven't fallen asleep." Then a long yawn escaped her lips.  
>"You're tired." He stated.<br>"Quite possibly." Skulduggery took her hand and pulled her swiftly from the sofa. He led her upstairs to the room she stayed in when sleeping over at the Mansion.

Skulduggery put the bed side lamp on as Valkyrie went straight to the window. She cupped her hands around her face as she leant on the glass. The night seemed chilling, the trees surrounding the Mansion were being frantically blown around by the ferocious wind. She closed the heavy curtains and turned around to see Skulduggery yanking open the duvet for her. It looked so inviting that she slipped right in between the sheets, she felt the warmth immediately embracing her like a hug.  
>"Would you like me to go?" Skulduggery asked.<br>"No." she replied quickly afraid he would leave before she had a chance to stop him. "Will you just stay and talk to me?" she asked watching him from the bed.  
>"Certainly."<p>

Skulduggery settled in the armchair beside her bed. "Tell me how we first met." Valkyrie expressed as she stifled another yawn.  
>"You saw me at your Uncle's funeral, once outside after the ceremony and once in his study at the gathering your parents held here afterwards. The next time was at the will reading, of course none of you knew I was a skeleton. You found out when you stopped here alone one night and a big grisly man burst his way in looking for something Gordon had hidden. I saved you. That was my thing. Then you became my partner, and we solved your Uncle's murder."<br>"So I was what, twelve? And you let me become your partner? Don't you think that was a tad bit dangerous?" she asked more amused at seeing Skulduggery walk around with a child claiming to be his partner.  
>"Absolutely."<br>"Why did you let me then?"  
>"You were a very stubborn young lady."<br>"Obviously." She laughed. "Will you show me some magic? Tanith has been showing me her stuff all week and I just can't imagine having powers. Watching her walk up walls and stand on the ceiling is like I've been sucked into a film or something. I mean she's amazing and everything, I can see that, but after maybe the tenth time of jumping down on you and scaring the crap out of you then rolling around on the floor laughing, it can get a little annoying."  
>Valkyrie gracefully smiled at the quiet chuckle she was able to effortlessly pull from Skulduggery. Now she was having intense thoughts again. "You said I was an elemental, like you?" she quickly added to change the topic in her mind.<p>

"You were more trained in elemental type powers but you also dabbled in Necromancy too." Skulduggery clicked his fingers and a flame appeared in the palm of his gloved hand. He gestured with his hand and the small ball of fire grew larger. He made it change colour from a glowing orange to a flashy red then to a scolding hot blue. She smiled watching the light show and she felt her eye lids start to drop.  
>"Do you think I will ever get my powers back, or will I stay empty forever?"<br>"According to Grouse you are indeed empty, but you are still a magical being. You just need to be filled with something."  
>"Is there anything that can do that?"<br>"Your surge perhaps. Grouse couldn't detect any sign of you going through it, but it probably should have happened when you were Darquesse, she most likely surpassed it. Easy enough for her, she had all the power she wanted, she probably didn't want to risk limiting herself. No account has ever been made of someone having access to the power their true name gives before going through the surge. Most people experience it in their early twenties at the latest."  
>Valkyrie couldn't muster the energy to form a response. The only thing that she noticed as she drifted into sleep was the quiet tones of skulduggery singing to her. She couldn't make out the song but his voice was enjoyable.<p>

Valkyrie was worried she wouldn't be able to drink anything before she was taken into the procedure room. Unfortunately she wasn't allowed to eat anything in case she vomited it back up and choked. She had been strictly only allowed water and Valkyrie hated water, it was so boring.

Tanith had suggested she waited in the library for something to do. There weren't many people now in the Sanctuary who didn't know about her and all of them had been sworn to secrecy. The library was empty apart from her so it was quiet and peaceful. She liked the place because it was full of wonderful books just waiting to embrace her with all of their wisdom.  
>She had pulled out a few books and scattered them across her table and started reading about the origins of magic and all the different branches of powers.<p>

"I brought you this." Announced a voice coming from behind. Valkyrie looked to see who the stranger was and saw a man she didn't recognise offering her a bottle of fizzy orange juice.  
>"I know you like your fizzy stuff and since you are only allowed water, I thought that would really annoy the red head. Am I right?"<p>

Valkyrie quickly glanced over his smart appearance. His suit was the deepest of blacks and his long coat looked warm; which was a godsend in this drafty place. The cane he held in his right hand was sharp at its point but the handle was metal with black carvings scrawled into it. She swore she glimpsed shadows swarming around it, coming off it like steam.

She took the bottle and thanked the gentleman with a smile and he took that as an invitation to sit down opposite her at the table.  
>"My name is Solomon Wreath by the way."<br>"I'm Valkyrie Cain, supposedly. How did you know I like fizzy drinks?" Neither Skulduggery nor Tanith had mentioned or described someone resembling the man who now sat before her. Solomon as he said.  
>"Has Skulduggery not told you about me?" He asked curiously, expertly avoiding her question.<br>"No, sorry. But I'm sure you know about my memory thing, so he probably just didn't want to overwhelm me."

Valkyrie watched a series of expressions run across Solomon's face. The only thing she could clearly make out was the smirk.  
>"I'm not certain that was the reason." Solomon said slowly.<br>"What was it?" She didn't like the way Solomon denied her answers to her questions. He reached out and started reading the titles of the books in front of her.  
>"Why did you pick that one? It's very advanced. Not many people like associating with Necromancers."<br>"I was told that even though being an elemental was my main strength, I dabbled in Necromancy too." She bet Solomon knew everything she was telling him anyway. He of course knew her from her life before but was waiting for a specific moment to spill the beans.  
>"You certainly did. You were a natural at it." Solomon met her eyes finally but Valkyrie just stared. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of leading his conversation. He was in charge and using that to try and get something out of her, to gain information from her before revealing his identity.<br>Solomon picked up on her mood. "I should know being your mentor in the discipline."  
>"I see. So that is what you have been hovering around. Care to explain why?" Rather than annoy her further, who he seemed to remember was a nightmare sometimes, he decided to come clean.<br>"Skulduggery isn't best keen on me."  
>"You said most people don't like Necromancers."<br>"Skulduggery doesn't like me for other reasons. Personal reasons you could call it."

Valkyrie was dying to ask him. She was excited at the prospect of learning something further about her mysterious protector. Before she could ask she felt a presence next to her. Her gut sank and for some reason, she didn't know why, she felt like she had been caught in an act of betrayal. She couldn't look but she knew Skulduggery was there.  
>"Hello Skulduggery," Wreath chirped up. "Nice to see you again."<br>"I will shoot you in the face if you don't leave this second." Skulduggery's menacing voice made Valkyrie jump. She could tell Wreath's greeting was going to wind Skulduggery up but she never expected such an aggressive reaction. She was forced to watch the encounter, her eyes refusing to look away. Clearly she was clueless to the reasons behind what was happening.

"There is no need to overreact, Skulduggery. Please calm down." Wreath quipped.  
>"Wreath, leave now before I kick you out." Ghastly's voice came from behind Skulduggery.<p>

Skulduggery grabbed Wreath by the shoulder and wrenched him to his feet before shoving him out the door. They both disappeared and Valkyrie was left a little stunned.  
>"Valkyrie," Ghastly said gently. "There are ready for you now, shall we go?" She nodded still trying to figure out… that.<p>

"Are you nervous?" Ghastly asked as he guided her down the long winding passageways.  
>"I don't know. I'm not sure how I feel really. It's like I am someone else, living a dream or something."<br>"It's perfectly understandable. No-one can comprehend how hectic this must be for you. It may not make much of an impact on you, considering, but I want you to know that if you ever need to talk, you can come to me anytime. No matter how small or how large the issue, don't hesitate."  
>"Haven't you just been made Grand Mage?"<br>"Er, yes I have."  
>"So you will probably be really busy won't you?"<br>"That's a guarantee, yes." He faulted.  
>"So if I ever need to ask you say, which bathroom is closest to throw up in, I'd be free to call for your help?" She waited with a frozen gleam on her face, her eyebrows rose, watching him fluster. She was one second away from laughing in his face when he stammered out "Sometimes! Sometimes you can call me, about appropriate things. If you want to know information like that ask Skulduggery. I'd love to see that."<p>

"Thank you." She said touched at the gesture. "Do you think I should be doing this?" she asked unsure after she had time to collect a few thoughts together.  
>"Your memories are vital, Valkyrie." Ghastly stated bluntly. "You are very vulnerable without them."<p>

"Why don't you like Solomon?" Valkyrie asked acting as casual as she could, sitting down in the dentist chair, Laguna needed her to be in the right angle for her to work. Skulduggery had entered the room about twenty minutes after she and Ghastly had arrived. She could only imagine the awful, tortuous things he could have done to Solomon in that time. He came back his same old cheery self.

He tilted his head to the side as he gazed at her.  
>"Oh come on. There is something going on that I don't know about that's why you threw him from the room. I need to be told things or I won't remember."<br>"You never knew the original reason as to why I and Solomon don't get along, so it wouldn't jog your memory anyway." He replied with a smile in his voice, though impressed at her cheekiness.

Valkyrie lent back in her seat and folded her arms, eyeing him before speaking. "It doesn't stop you telling me now though." Skulduggery continued to stare at her, strangely she didn't feel uncomfortable. She had a feeling he was trying to gauge her reaction. If he hadn't told her the reason before then he must have had a reason.  
>"Why did you never tell me? Was it because he became my teacher and you didn't want to influence my decisions?"<br>"I feel like I am being interrogated."  
>"Oh, sorry. I just wanted to create a bigger picture of my life. I know I've spent a lot of time with Tanith but she said and even Saracen and Dexter agreed that I spent most of my time with you. I just figured because you are bound to know lots of things about me, I wouldn't mind knowing a significant detail about you."<p>

Skulduggery seemed to loosen up with less reluctance to tell her things.  
>"Were we a couple?" she blurted out.<br>"I'm sorry?" Skulduggery answered surprised. Valkyrie quickly wanted to back track hating herself for not thinking before she spoke. With a reaction like that she was definitely way off the mark.  
>"I.. erm.. was thinking with everyone saying we were so close, that's what they were getting at, but no one wanted to tell me in case I got freaked out."<br>"We weren't a couple."  
>"Oh, ok."<br>"You sound disappointed."  
>"No, no. I'm not. I just wanted clarification. How can I feel disappointed with something I don't remember?" She could see Skulduggery didn't see her logic either. Thankfully Laguna and Grouse scuffled in before the ground needed to come and swallow her up.<p>

"Ok Valkyrie, this is it. Are you ready?" Laguna addressed getting straight to the point.  
>"As ready as I will ever be." Valkyrie said unsurely as Laguna adjusted the seat to a lower height setting.<br>"This will be painful so restraints are necessary."

Skulduggery took the restraints, long bounds of leather that he strapped around her arms and legs. His fingers would graze over her in a comforting gesture. She locked eyes with him when he fixed the last one over her chest. She wanted to say a multitude of things to him. Nothing was coming clearly to her head as she began to feel more scared. He brushed a strand of hair out of her face and squeezed her hand tightly.  
>"I'll be putting you in an induced coma. I can't have you coherent whilst I do this. I need your mind to be clear. It won't stop the pain but it will keep it at its lowest level. Kenspeckle will be monitoring your vitals and if it gets too much for you we will stop."<p>

Skulduggery had wanted to stay with Valkyrie but Laguna warned that he wouldn't like it. He conceded and left but could only stay away for thirty minutes before he had to go back. Skulduggery walked calmly to the door despite the tearful cries he could hear from inside. He opened the door and a piercing scream flooded out. He quickly passed through the doorframe and closed the door behind him.

Despite herself concentrating with all her mental ability, Laguna still managed to notice the wince Skulduggery quickly tried to cover once he saw the state of Valkyrie. Her head was dripping with sweat, her sleeves had ridden up due to her constantly thrashing against the restraints. They were chaffing her wrists turning them red raw.

Laguna's hands were hovering over Valkyrie's temples as she tried to break down all the walls and unveil Valkyrie's true memories. "I know what you have come here to ask." Laguna addressed Skulduggery without looking at him directly. "It's going to take a few hours yet and no, I can't do anything for the pain. But once it's over its over and hopefully she will have her memories back. Well in a few hours anyway."

"The amount of work I had to do was very complex, not to mention high risk." Laguna explained to Skulduggery after Valkyrie had been wheeled into a more comfortable room. She had taken him aside wanting him to be the first one to thank her for doing them the favour. "I'm impressed I was actually able to do it. At one point I was starting to doubt myself but I think I pulled it off." Laguna sounded extremely pleased with herself.  
>"When will Valkyrie wake up?"<br>"It will take a while. Her memories are settling again. She will either wake with them all back to normal, if not a little confused or they will drift her to whilst she's awake. I wouldn't be surprised if she drops in and out of sleep for the next few hours. She will sleep but it won't be peaceful. Her mind is reassembling it's self so she will most likely be very fitful. It's best to let her just ride it out."

Skulduggery nodded taking in all of Laguna's advice. "Thank you, Laguna for doing this. Rest assured you will be compensated for your time and your flight back to Russia."  
>Laguna frowned, taken aback. "You don't want me to stay?"<br>"I would appreciate if you stayed until we knew for sure that Valkyrie is Ok and nothing went wrong, but I don't want to keep you away from your home any longer then I have to."  
>Laguna didn't know how to respond, she thought Skulduggery was interested in her, unless he was just saving face. She smiled to herself, pleased she had seen through his act.<br>"Not a problem. I will do anything you ask." Laguna took Skulduggery's hand in hers and tried to give him her widest beam. "All you have to do is say the word."

The darkness soaked into a chilly embrace. Valkyrie's head moved like waves inside giving her the headache of her life. The emptiness was the only thing occupying the corners of her mind, hammering away at the inside of her skull.  
>A spark, a jolt pinched at the edge of her coherence. It grew warmer slowly bringing her back down. As her body became like a veil lifting, she realised the bright spark on her skin, the surge of heat was coming from her hand.<p>

She felt the most alive in that moment then she had in a long time. Valkyrie wanted to open her eyes, she tried and was blinded. Her sight too sensitive to tolerate the lightness in the room. It was painful to open them for more than a moment. The violent sounds coming from her eyelids as she tried to flutter them open made her shudder. Her eyelids sounded like dragon's wings pounding into the air. It practically shocked her skull.

Snippets of a figure bent over her blinked in a blurry light, a sea of midnight blue and white striking pinstripes. She felt a soft touch on her clammy forehead sweeping away the clumped hair. She could see it was a black glove as it passed its way back. If she didn't know it was Skulduggery from his attire, she wouldn't be lost. She could just feel it was him. Hearing his whispers in her ear made her feel like everything was going to be Ok whether she could make out what he was saying or not.

His velvety voice was becoming clearer to her.  
>"You need to be somewhere safe." She was already, wasn't she? She started to panic. Why would Skulduggery send her away? She tried pushing herself up, her arms felt like jelly and prevented her from doing so. They were just dead weight. Was this the trap? They had bided their time for long enough and now was their opportunity to pounce? Why had she been so naïve?<p>

She tried to scream as something heavy tried to pin her down.  
>"N-no, no. Please stop!" she couldn't escape because she was terrified. Then she felt the tugs of sleep taking over her consciousness. The blackness was suffocating like waters engulfing her in their gigantic wake, despite her being so close to the surface. She didn't know why at first she was falling asleep so suddenly. The prick in her arm she hazily remembered meant only one thing. Skulduggery had sedated her.<p>

A constant shaking jolted her and she became slightly more aware of her surroundings. She was curled up on her side, her hands bound in front of her with rope and the surface she was laid on was soft but unstable. She was too tall for the confined space and her feet were pushed against a solid panel, stopping her from extending her legs fully.

Valkyrie was all cramped up and tied in what she believed from the constant jostling to be the backseat of a car. When she opened her eyes the darkness was pretty much blanketing everything. She could see the small illuminations coming from the dashboard and one delicate pale hand on the wheel. In the quiet she couldn't tell if there was another person in the car with them, she didn't care much as long as she wasn't in the boot. She hated tiny spaces.

The last of the harsh orange glows from lampposts lining the streets stopped and they were speeding along unlit roads. Valkyrie was clueless as to what was going on. Her head was growing noisier increasing the chance of her passing out again. The last thing she saw was the gut wrenching smirk on the drivers face as she looked over Valkyrie's crumpled up form. The expression of pure delight on Laguna's features as her eyes fluttered closed put Valkyrie in a fitful state of slumber.

It had been years since The Hibernian Cinema had been open to the public. No sorcerer even went there anymore, not since the attack of the Remnants. The insides of the building were still trashed, sweeping blood stains left a trail throughout and the smell was slightly worse than a morgue. The Sanctuary had to do a major clean up job after the Remnants had all been sucked away. They couldn't risk any mortals going inside and causing a fuss. Plus the smell of rotting bodies would attract some type of attention.

Laguna didn't have a good feeling about the place from her first glance. She got out of the silver Peugeot she stole; she wanted it to be boring and inconspicuous, checked the street for no lingering pedestrians and pulled Valkyrie from the back seat. Drugging her was easy, it was dragging her dead weight by herself that was the hard part. Slugging the girl from the backseat with her arms wrapped around her waist, Laguna managed to get a good rhythm going with Valkyrie slung over her side.

Huffing and puffing like a riled up dragon Laguna succeeded in pushing Valkyrie through the door and dropping her on the ground in one of the chambers deep within the building that could only be accessed through a secret passageway located in the upstairs bathroom. Laguna doubted even the owner of the building knew about the passageway, it was so obscure. She let Valkyrie's unresponsive body fall to the floor.

The secret meet with Mevolent was certainly keeping Laguna anxious. It was known to her that Valkyrie played some part in Mevolent's plan but she didn't know what it was. She was surprised he wasn't hear already, this could only mean he was angry that she had taken two weeks to deliver Valkyrie to him and he was punishing her.  
>The circular room he had instructed her to go to was dull and shadowy, the only door was the one she had just passed through, yet when he appeared the figure was stood in front of her, he was waiting for her.<p>

"You." Laguna stated with distaste as someone who wasn't Mevolent approached her. His gaping smile and crooked face emphasised his creepiness. She shivered at the sight of him. "What are you doing here Nadir?" she chargrilled through gritted teeth.  
>"I'm here to relieve you of duty and take over from here. I will be delivering the girl to him personally." Nadir remarked smugly as Laguna realised she was being replaced. She kept her face stone cold straight through Nadir's continuous smirking. "I see you have been taking great care of it." Nadir gestured to Valkyrie's dumped form. Laguna spared her a mere glare before dismissing her from her mind. She did remember the sound of the girl connecting with the floor but she forgot to feel guilty about it.<br>"She's fine. I thought you were injured?"  
>"I got better."<br>"Back to the important stuff- I came all the way from Russia to do this mission and I am going to be the person to finish it-"  
>"No, Laguna." Nadir abruptly cut her off laughing out his words. "You won't because Mevolent doesn't trust you with this, so the girl is mine."<p>

Nadir intended to pick up Valkyrie and stash her away in the cage located at the back of his van; he bent over with arms outstretched to reach her. Laguna planted her hands to the floor in one fluid movement and cartwheeled using her momentum to drop-kick Nadir meters across the room. Both feet connected with his face before she came up again and clouted him in the same spot sending him sprawling to the floor.

Laguna dove upon him getting her upper arm wedged between his chin and chest. Nadir's fingers flew to her arm, his nails digging, squeezing tightly trying to realise himself from her grip. Laguna could sense that he was light headed as his grip was stating to loosen. He was moments from falling unconscious when Laguna lowered her lips so they hovered next to his ear.  
>"You deserve this, you know. The lot of you deserve to see your plans fail and I will be there to see it happen. Now that I don't have to act like a whore for you sickos. I have found somebody who can make my knees quiver. I doubt you will ever be able to say the same."<p>

A bright fiery glow ceased her taunting and sent her crashing into the jagged, uneven wall behind. She crumpled to the ground like a rag doll.  
>"You have been a very bad girl, Laguna. What am I going to do with you?"<p>

She started to shake, not so much because of the agonising pain but the knowledge of what the man who just arrived does to traitors. He being one himself made him so much more merciless. He was going to make her hurt and hurt hard.

Skulduggery and Ghastly entered the medical wing together surprised to see no one around. Upon opening Valkyrie's door and seeing the room empty their personas quickly changed. Ghastly swept the room it being apparent that a scuffle had taken place. He watched as Skulduggery stormed into the connecting room and returning a few moments later with Grouse's Echo stone.  
>"That looks as if it's been thrown." Ghastly observed from the dint in the side of the object.<br>"Someone had been in here and taken Valkyrie." Skulduggery announced. Ghastly knew that tone. A couple of times he remembered experiencing a cold, dense drip roll down his neck at hearing it.  
>The Echo Stone wasn't working. The cradle had been crumpled down one side, probably disrupting the image so it couldn't load. Ghastly whipped out his phone as and the new Grand Mage, he could gain information quickly.<p>

"No one has seen Valkyrie around the building." Ghastly informed his friend. He jumped at the racket of Skulduggery slamming down the Echo Stone onto the table in another wretched attempt to get it working. A click went off inside and the Echo Stone suddenly turned on.  
>"Valkyrie has been taken." Skulduggery barked at the imaged of Grouse once it stopped flickering. Grouse looked dishevelled as it was from being activated so suddenly.<br>"I was taken from behind. I didn't see who it was." He grumbled loudly.  
>"We need to talk to everyone in the building." Ghastly instructed before Tanith burst in on them.<br>"There's been a sighting." She yelled powering through the door.  
>"Of Valkyrie?" questioned Ghastly.<br>"No." she said. "On Silas Nadir."  
>"What?" Ghastly and Skulduggery both said in unison. "Where was he sighted?" Skulduggery asked turning to face her head on. Tanith hesitated, three glares were waiting patiently for her answer. Why did she have to be the first one the Administrator saw to pass it on to Ghastly?<br>"Nadir was seen twenty minutes ago sneaking into The Hibernian Cinema."

Skulduggery and Ghastly exchanged a quick glance before walking again in unison to the door. Ghastly caught Tanith's arm to pull her in sync with their strides.  
>"Did they see anything else, your witness?"<br>Tanith brows furrowed again. More bad news Ghastly knew.  
>"Shortly after Nadir went inside, this mage well, she saw a car pull up out front and a woman got out."<br>"Description?" Skulduggery asked.  
>"She thought the woman had red hair but she couldn't be sure."<p>

Skulduggery dug out his phone and rung a number. When it rang out he thrust it back into his pocket. "Laguna isn't answering her phone." He declared. Tanith's face paled slightly at the mention of her name. Tanith mentally cursed herself for not acting more on watching her after Clarabelle had turned out to be a complete failure.  
>"What is it?"<br>"The woman said she saw her pull someone out of the back seat and then drag them inside."  
>No one wanted to say it but Tanith couldn't help it.<br>"So Laguna has been working for Mevolent all along? Valkyrie saw this coming." She grumbled.

Skulduggery turned to the Grand Mage. "Ghastly, do I have your permission to seek them out and bring Valkyrie back by all means necessary."  
>"You don't need it but I'll grant it you anyway. Go do what you have to do. If you can bring both Laguna and Nadir back alive. I think they will both enjoy a long stay in the Gaol."<br>"I'll do my best."

"Laguna, you really do make me laugh." Stated Ravel as he came into view, circling Laguna so she couldn't focus clearly on what he was doing. "I apologise for the change in plans, but you should know how these things go." He seemed to be revelling in the sight of her quivering, scared on the floor, powerless to help herself. "I had a feeling you may try and pull something like this, I knew Skulduggery would be your type." He crouched down in front of her making sure her terrified, wide eyes could see his lips move as he spoke. "Your sister can be quiet talkative when she is squeezed with the appropriate amount of pressure. She willingly told me about when skulduggery visited you years ago." Ravel cocked his head to the side and faked a sympathetic frown. "Did you think your sister would betray you like that?"

Laguna shook her head as Ravel reached out and grabbed her chin forcefully. "She was able to see the bigger picture, Laguna. You think you are betraying Mevolent but trust me, I won't let that happen." He grabbed her harder making her squirm and splutter out spittle. "You have a new assignment."  
>Laguna started to thrash in his grasp trying to convey her disobedience. "No, you will do it, woman. Or I might be inclined to feed you to something. I haven't decided what yet, but rest assured it will have big teeth and a bad smell. Maybe a horn."<p>

Ravel watched her make a feeble attempt to worm from his grip. "What's happened?" he teased. "You were all big and mighty a few minutes ago. Where did all that confidence go?" His eyebrow rose. "I'd like to see you not live the rest of your life as a whore, but I can't see it happening. Not if you're adamant about Skulduggery. You will be doing nothing but whoring yourself out to him, Laguna because he is damaged and will never accept you that way, trust me. So let's just forget about this double crossing nonsense and you do the assignment tasked to you. Yes?... Good girl."

The Bentley flashed like a blur zipping through the streets on route to The Hibernian Cinema. Grouse was a glow in the back as he lived in the cinema for the longest time and knew all the secret passageways. Clyro also insisted he tag along with them. His reasoning was that he would be able to sense Valkyrie when she was close by. His powers had diminished since Darquesse vacated Valkyrie but his strength was still second to none.

"Where are they most likely to be Grouse?" Skulduggery asked.  
>"They could be anywhere. If they are aware of the passageways I installed, which I can only assume that's why they chose it, then they could be in a number of hidden rooms underneath the ground floor." Grouse replied from the back seat.<br>"Why did you never inform the Sanctuary on your refurbishment?"

Skulduggery heard strange noises from the back seat and when he glanced in his mirror he saw Grouse sulking and huffing, terribly annoyed. "Don't start lecturing me Skulduggery about not following the rules. You more than anyone strut around doing whatever the heck you want. How dare you judge me." Grouse growled viciously. He was flustered and kept chewing his lip. His emotions had definitely heightened since he died. He did not notice the amused glances that were exchanged by the gentlemen in the front seats.  
>"Actually, I wasn't judging you, Grouse. I admire you not telling the Sanctuary and I am glad you are not a stickler for the rules. You know I like to surround myself with rule breakers."<br>"Well…" Grouse sounded less flustered at the compliment. "You lot at the Sanctuary are always distracted and you are so easily infiltrated. I didn't want that information getting into the wrong hands unless I planned it that way."

"Clyro, can you sense her?" Skulduggery whispered form the array of shrubbery they were hiding in behind, right next to the cinema. Clyro put his hand on the bricked outer wall and listened.  
>"She is two floors beneath the ground." Clyro stated after a brief second concentrating.<br>"That will be the bunker room." Announced Grouse. "There is only one entrance to that room that is possible to find. The other one, I alone know the location of."  
>"Where is the entrance, Grouse?"<p>

Grouse smiled to himself, smug that he had been so clever as to only publish one entrance for each passageway on the blue prints which was the only way anyone could find them out. "The only entrance to the bunker room is in the first floor bathroom."  
>"Why did you put it there?" Skulduggery inquired half amused.<br>"I didn't want Clarabelle to accidentally find it, no boundaries that girl what so ever, and since I locked off the room from her I didn't have to worry about others finding out."  
>"I see. So the entrance in the bathroom-"<br>"It's the main way. It takes you down two flights of steps and then a long corridor leads to the bunker. It's a circular room with not much space. However a second entrance is located in that outside stall. That takes you down a different route down one flight of stairs and leads to a small air vent type grill. This is situated on the ceiling so you can drop through when you need to. You won't be visible until you go through the grill."

The three hurried over to the outside stall which resembled a shed near the back door. Grouse activated a sigil on the panelling of the shed which opened the door. Inside the toilet disappeared to reveal a small hole big enough for one person at a time to slip through. Once through, the landing was just before a set of dark steps.  
>"Good luck. I'll be waiting in the car." Grouse's heavy duty blue light would draw attention to their covert operation so Skulduggery didn't allow him to join him and Clyro inside.<p>

Grouse explained that the tunnel would be tight but would end over-looking the bunker with the only other entrance and exit in their view. Skulduggery and Clyro moved easily through the tight space, they both being slim and tall going in their favour. They saw a small glimmer of light coming from afar on the floor and the metal grill slowly came into view.

The air vent was no more than two foot long and when Skulduggery hunkered down over it he could see the room below. Clyro moved in beside him. They were experts at keeping silent which made it beneficial when a quiet voice groaned from the bunker below. Skulduggery nudged Clyro and they could see Laguna curled up on the floor. Her leg was snapped and bent the wrong way and her arms were covering her face, blood seeping from her fingernails.

Nadir came into view as he sauntered towards Laguna looking down on her like prey.  
>"You shouldn't have betrayed us Laguna. Look at the predicament you have got yourself in now." Nadir hunched over and poked at her side. "Thought your lover would save you did you? Where is he now?" Nadir poked her again attempting to uncover her eyes. "There is only one thing that man cares about," Laguna finally caught his eyes and he grabbed hold of her chin forcefully so she couldn't look away. "And that's her over there." Skulduggery and Clyro saw Nadir point to the far side of the circular room but they couldn't see far enough to know who he was pointing at. They could guess though.<p>

"God I can't wait until Mevolent sees you. He will rip you to shreds not only for being two weeks late but for helping the Sanctuary try and locate your sister. You know Mevolent wanted her for himself."  
>"I didn't tell them where she was. I took them on a wild goose chase." Laguna stammered out through broken lips.<br>"None the less, Mevolent wants rid of you. Isn't that right." Nadir turned to someone else in the room that had previously been silent. Neither Skulduggery nor Clyro could catch sight of them as they were behind the air vent.

They didn't hear the hidden person respond but they saw the cruel grin on Nadir's face. Skulduggery pulled out his Revolver and on the count on three Skulduggery blew open the air vent and they both ploughed into the room.

Nadir had no time to register the smartly dressed skeleton that landed hard on him pummelling him with punches until he was barely coherent. Skulduggery shot up looking for the mystery man who had already disappeared. Clyro was tending to Laguna, she obviously had to go back with them.

Skulduggery couldn't see Valkyrie anywhere and when he spun on his heel hoping the girl Nadir had pointed at was her, he saw Nadir crouched over her, her body bruised, her eyes closed. Skulduggery took one step forward and was powerless to stop Nadir taking her arm and in one thick pop, Valkyrie and Nadir were gone.

Fuzziness collapsed on top of her. A rising pressure surrounded her creating a violent ringing in her ears. The last thing she saw was Skulduggery. She was sure he had come for her. Valkyrie realised the white heat on her wrist was someone gripping her. There was a brash pop behind her ears and then the world disappeared.

Valkyrie had never remembered having a migraine as bad as the one that was waking her up. Even through all the years Darquesse was trying to get through, her head had never throbbed as bad as this. A loud bang from outside shocked her awake and she jolted up right.

She had no time to take in her strange surroundings before a familiar face greeted her. Valkyrie instinctively moved back on her hands until the back wall blocked her escape. Her eyes widen as the man she was desperately trying to get away from reached for her.

"No- no. Get away." She scrambled further down the wall but it would do her no good. Thick, heavy boots followed her and she was forced to stare into his eyes when his dense hands took her shoulders. She remembered that face and those dreary eyes. Grey hair and a zombie like face graced her view.

"B- Baron Vengeous!"

* * *

><p><strong>Dun-dun-der!<strong>


End file.
